LONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - U.S. 10-year Treasury yields slid on Tuesday to five-week lows as investors snapped up safe-haven debt as a battle for Ukraine's capital intensified.

What started as a modest move lower in government bond yields, as prices rose, gathered momentum during London trade.

Ten-year U.S. Treasury yields were last down 10 basis points on the day at 1.73%, having hit a five-week lows at 1.72%.

Two-year yields fell to their lowest levels in almost a month at 1.27%, and were last down more than 12 bps on the day.

The moves in U.S. bond markets echoed sharp falls in European debt yields, with investors continuing to scale back European Central Bank rate hike bets.

Headlines from Ukraine meanwhile kept investors in a risk-off mood.

A Russian armoured column bore down on Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Tuesday after the deadly shelling of civilian areas in its second largest city indicated that frustrated Russian commanders could resort to more devastating tactics to achieve the goals of their invasion.

(Reporting by Dhara Ranasinghe; Editing by Saikat Chatterjee)