Thirteen dead in Kyiv. Russian missiles struck the Ukrainian capital early this morning. The attack hit a residential block. Bodies pulled from rubble. The toll expected to rise.
Number 10 is rattled. I have it on good authority that the Prime Minister is set to condemn the strikes in a statement this afternoon. The language will be forceful. But some in the Foreign Office worry this is not enough. They want more. More sanctions. More weapons. More rhetoric.
Talk in the Lobby is of a growing divide. The Defence Secretary. Hardline. Wants to directly supply long-range missiles. The Treasury. Nervous. Fears economic blowback. The Chancellor is said to be 'cautious'. A word that Whitehall insiders know means 'blocking'.
Meanwhile, back in Kyiv, the air raid sirens have become a grim soundtrack. Western diplomats on the ground describe a city on edge. But not broken. The mood is defiant.
The polling data is clear. The British public supports Ukraine. A recent YouGov survey showed 71% approve of current aid levels. The PM knows this. He is playing to the gallery. But he also knows the next election is not far off.
One ally told me: 'We can't be seen to waver. But we also can't be seen to fuel escalation.' It is a delicate line. A balancing act on a tightrope.
There are whispers of a backbench rebellion. Not on Ukraine itself. On spending. Some Tory MPs are angry. They say domestic priorities are being ignored. They have a point. Cost of living. NHS waiting lists. These are issues that lose elections.
For now, the government line holds. Support for Ukraine is 'unwavering'. That word again. It will be repeated in the Commons this afternoon. The opposition will nod. They share the same position. It is one of the few areas of consensus in a fractured parliament.
But consensus can crack. The longer this war grinds on, the harder it becomes to maintain. The public has a short attention span. The news cycle moves on. Yesterday it was Kyiv. Tomorrow it might be something else.
The real question is not what we say today. It is what we do next month. And the month after. The Kremlin is betting on Western fatigue. They are playing a long game.
I left the press gallery at dawn. The dawn came up grey over the Thames. The contrast with the smoke over Kyiv is stark. But in the corridors of power, the game continues. Briefings. Off-the-record calls. The machinery of government grinds on.
Thirteen dead. It will be a footnote by next week. That is the cold truth of it.
