Meanwhile one of Zelenskyy’s advisers said that fighting is raging in the capital and in the south of Ukraine, but that the Ukrainian military is successfully fending off Russian assaults. Intense fighting overnight appeared to stem some of the Russian advance towards the capital.
Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the night around Kyiv, with reports of hundreds of casualties in the fighting. The shelling sliced through at least one Kyiv apartment building and pummelled bridges and schools.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused a US offer to help him leave the city amid growing signs that Russia wanted to overthrow his government.
Reports from news agencies, citing Ukrainian military sources, that Kalibr missiles have been fired towards Ukraine from Russian vessels in the Black Sea.
The key points to know
- Several Ukrainian cities including Kyiv have seen a heavy night of fighting, forcing thousands of civilians to take shelter in basements and the city’s metro system
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused a US offer to help him leave Kyiv ahead of a Russian takeover
- Ukraine’s internet service has fluctuated amid reports that Russia has attacked power plants near Kyiv
- The Ukrainian military has claimed to have pushed back Russian forces at several points, including the main thoroughfare of Victory Avenue
- The Russian military claims to have captured a key airport, after seizing control of the Chernobyl nuclear plant and destroying dozens of Ukrainian military facilities.
- Neither countries’ latest military claims have been independently verified
Euronews reporter: “All night long we could hear the explosions”
Petro Prokopov, a firefighter who was taking part in rescue efforts, said the building on the southwestern edge of Kyiv near Zhuliany airport was hit between 16 and 21 floors on Saturday. He said at least six people were injured and apartments on two floors were gutted by fire. Emergency responders have evacuated 80 people.
Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted an image showing a gaping hole on one side of the apartment building.
“People still stay in shelters, the mood is very very grim, they are trying to stay safe, they are trying not to leave the basements or underground metro stations” says Vakulina.
She reports that local authorities are doing their best to give regular updates and warning people to be careful about possible “fake news” and other types of disinformation they might see online.
Tens of thousands flee Ukraine to escape Russian invasion
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing to the country’s borders in a desperate attempt to escape the violent fallout from the Russian invasion.
“I don’t want to leave my native country, but because of the invaders, I must leave it as fast as possible” said Tamara Kulman.
Read more about the people fleeing to Poland, Romania and Hungary.
‘It’s crazy traffic’: Ukrainians queue for hours to get into Poland
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing to the country’s borders in a desperate attempt to escape the violent fallout from the Russian invasion
Netherlands to send Stinger missiles, sniper rifles to Ukraine
🇳🇱 The Dutch Ministry of Defence says it’s sending missiles and rifles to help Ukrainian forces battle Russia.
In a letter to the Dutch parliament, the ministry said they received “additional requests for military equipment from Ukraine” and will supply 200 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles as soon as possible to Ukraine.”
“The planned delivery of military goods was and is intended for Ukrainian self-defense against the armed attack by Russia,” the letter said.
The ministry said some of the equipment has already been shipped on Saturday including sniper rifles and helmets.
On Saturday morning Ukraine’s president tweeted that he had a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, and that “weapons and equipment from our partners are on the way to Ukraine.”
Russia orders media to remove references to Ukraine invasion
Casualty figures: 198 Ukrainians killed, 1000 more wounded
Viktor Lyashko said Saturday that three children among those killed. It was not clear whether the minister was including both civilian and military casualties in the death toll.
Lyashko said another 1,115 people, including 33 children, were wounded in the Russian invasion that began Thursday with massive air and missile strikes and troops forging into Ukraine from the north, east and south.
Poland won’t play Russia World Cup play-off match
Netherlands moves embassy from Ukraine to Poland
“Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra has decided that Ambassador Jennes de Mol and his team will immediately travel to Jaroslaw, on the Polish side of the border with Ukraine , to continue their work from there” the ministry in a statement.
Earlier this week The Hague had already moved its embassy from Kiev to Lviv on Sunday, located some 70 kilometers from the Polish border, in western Ukraine .
Since then, ministry officials say nearly thirty Dutch nationals have requested help from the embassy, whether for travel documents or advice on traveling to Poland.
“It’s getting more and more dangerous in Lviv” a ministry official said on Saturday morning, adding that Dutch authorities remained available from Poland to help Dutch nationals leave Ukraine .
“If necessary and safe enough, team members will travel to the Ukrainian side of the border to provide assistance” he said.
The Netherlands advised its nationals on 12 February to leave Ukraine.
UK Minister: Russian invasion slowed by strong Ukrainian resistance
Speaking on Saturday morning Heappey said fighting in the capital, Kyiv, was so far confined to “very isolated pockets of Russian special forces and paratroopers.”
He said that “the main armored columns approaching Kyiv are still some way off.”
“It looks like the Russian plan is nowhere near running to schedule. I think that will be a great cause of concern for President Putin and rather points to the fact that there was a lot of hubris in the Russian plan and that he may be awfully advised.”
Before entering politics Mr Heappey was a Major in the British Army. He served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.