Pope Francis has issued a strong condemnation of the Russian attack on Ukraine.

“In the name of God, let the cry of the suffering people be heard, and let the bombings and attacks stop," he said during his weekly Sunday prayer at St Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

“In the name of God, I ask you, stop this massacre.”

Bombing of children’s hospitals and civilian targets is “barbaric” and has “no valid strategic reason”, the Pope added.