Russia's President Vladimir Putin defied mounting sanctions and recriminations from the West as the country’s military pushed deeper into Ukraine on Thursday, attacking strategic airfields and advancing toward major cities.
According to reports, Russian forces reached the outskirts of Kyiv on Friday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the invading troops were targeting civilians and explosions could be heard in the besieged capital. Pre-dawn blasts in Kyiv set off a second day of violence and displaced at least 100,000 people.
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Kiev building hit by missile, a "war crime" says a rescuer
Victims are evacuated and emergency services work on the scene after a high-rise apartment block was hit by a missile overnight in Kyiv as fighting rages between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Emergency services say the number of victims is "being specified" and that an evacuation is underway. It is the third day since Russian leader Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale invasion that has killed dozens of people, forced more than 50,000 to flee Ukraine in just 48 hours and sparked fears of a wider conflict in Europe. VIDEO: AFP
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Russia says Ukraine prolonging conflict by refusing talks
The Kremlin on Saturday accused Ukraine of prolonging the military conflict by refusing to negotiate as Russia pressed on with its invasion of the pro-Western country.
"In connection with the expected negotiations, the Russian president yesterday afternoon ordered the suspension of the advance of the main forces of the Russian Federation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a conference call.
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Fighting in Kyiv as Ukraine says 198 civilians killed
Ukrainian forces repulsed a Russian attack on Kyiv but "sabotage groups" infiltrated the capital, officials said Saturday, as Ukraine reported 198 civilians deaths, including children, following Russia's invasion.
A defiant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed his pro-Western country would never give in to the Kremlin even as Russia said it had fired cruise missiles at military targets.
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday, saying Greece had favoured the harshest European Union sanctions against Russia after its attack and stood ready to provide assistance.
Greece's health ministry is sending medicines and medical supplies to Ukraine, Mitsotakis' office said.
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Slovakia to send artillery ammunition, fuel worth 11 million euros to Ukraine
Slovakia will send artillery ammunition and fuel worth a total of 11 million euros ($12.39 million) to Ukraine, Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad said on Saturday.
Nad said the shipment includes 12,000 rounds of 120-milimetre caliber ammunition, 10 million litres (2.64 million US gallons) of diesel fuel and 2.4 million litres of aircraft fuel.
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Arabs fear for wheat supplies after Russia invades Ukraine
Russia's invasion of Ukraine could mean less bread on the table in Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere in the Arab world where millions already struggle to survive.
The region is heavily dependent on wheat supplies from the two countries which are now at war, and any shortages of the staple food have potential to bring unrest.
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Ukrainian men are getting armed and ready to defend their land.#SlavaUkraini pic.twitter.com/KNfjahYF4N
— Asaad Hanna (@AsaadHannaa) February 25, 2022
Russia seizes lots of Western weapons in Ukraine: Russian defence ministry
Russia's special military operation in Ukraine has seized a large quantity of weapons supplied by Western countries in recent months, said Defence Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov on Friday.
The seized weapons include the U.S. Javelin anti-tank missile systems and British NLAWs, the spokesman said.
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Ukraine is going to formally honor a group of Ukrainian border guards who died this week defending Snake Island, a small Ukrainian maritime territory in the Black Sea. The soldiers were bombed by a Russian warship, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. pic.twitter.com/MfQ4ir49yQ
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 25, 2022
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Biden Tasks US State Dept. to Allocate US$600Mln, Including US$350Mln for Defence, to Ukraine
US President Joe Biden has tasked the Department of State to allocate US$600 million to Ukraine, including US$350 million for defence purposes, the White House said.
Moscow said on Friday it was partially limiting access to Meta Platforms Inc's Facebook, accusing it of censoring Russian media, announcing the measure a day after Russia invaded Ukraine and the latest in a series of steps against U.S. social media giants.
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S&P cuts Russia's rating to junk, Moody's issues junk warning https://t.co/asxHZsy0YY pic.twitter.com/ntHB1Bd6fM
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 26, 2022
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Indians in Ukraine advised not to move to border posts
In a latest advisory by the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, Indian citizens in the war-torn country were on Saturday advised not to move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government.
"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts (helpline numbers established) and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.
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"All of us are here protecting our independence of our country."
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) February 25, 2022
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shows his people he remains in the country's capital, Kyiv, as Russian forces approach the city. pic.twitter.com/i0ZylY7nkE
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Ask for forgiveness from Putin and apologise: Chechnya strongman Kadyrov 'advises' Ukraine President
Chechen strongman and leader Ramzan Kadyrov has "advised" Ukrainian President Zelensky "to call Vladimir Putin and apologize", RT reported.
In a speech he gave to the assembled servicemen in central Grozny in Chechnya, Kadyrov demanded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky apologize to Putin.
"Taking this opportunity, I want to give advice to the current President Zelensky so that he calls our President, Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and apologizes for not doing so sooner. Do it in order to save Ukraine. Ask for forgiveness and agree to all the conditions that Russia puts forward. This will be the most correct and patriotic step for him," the leader declared, RT reported.
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In a video put out at about midnight Kyiv time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told his country’s soldiers: "Tonight they will storm. We all need to understand what awaits us. We have to persevere tonight. The fate of Ukraine is being decided right now." pic.twitter.com/rnVBlYKXMn
— Peter Stevenson (@PeterStevenson) February 25, 2022
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Roundup: Russia continues to hit Ukraine targets, with Moscow-Kyiv talks expected
Moscow continued to exert hefty pressure on Kyiv by striking more military targets in Ukraine, while the two sides have expressed intention to start direct dialogue.
The Russian armed forces have disabled 211 military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine since the operation began on early Thursday, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Friday night, up from 118 facilities reported in his morning briefing.
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Archbishop Makgoba calls for indaba over Ukraine war, backs Pope's appeal
Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town has called for a high-level peace initiative in the form of "indaba" to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. He has also supported the appeal of Pope Francis for prayer and fasting on Ash Wednesday, March 2.
Makgoba is in New York to attend the Institution of the Reverend Phil Jackson, the new Rector of Trinity Church Wall Street, the original Anglican parish on the island of Manhattan.
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President Cyril Ramaphosa calls for UN to step in and intervene in Ukraine conflict
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the intervention of the UN Security Council in the conflict in Ukraine, saying it was not necessary for people to be killed when there was an option of engagement.
Ramaphosa told a litigation forum on Friday that the UN had to intervene to stop the war in the Ukraine.
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