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Russian troops rushed into Ukraine’s capital on Saturday, sparking street fighting as city officials warned citizens to seek shelter. The country’s president declined an American invitation to leave, saying that he would stay. “The war has begun,” he declared.
As daylight came in Kyiv, it was unclear how far the forces had advanced. Skirmishes reported on the outskirts of the city suggested that small Russian units were probing Ukrainian defences to open a way for the larger forces.
However, the rapid movement of forces after less than three days of fighting jeopardised a country clinging to freedom in the face of a sweeping Russian onslaught that threatened to topple the democratic government and upend the post-Cold War world order.
The street brawls erupted after fighting that destroyed bridges, schools, and apartment complexes, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
Officials in the United States believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to destabilise Ukraine’s government and install his own dictatorship. The invasion was Putin’s most audacious attempt yet to reshape the geography of Europe and reestablish Moscow’s Cold War-era clout. It sparked new international efforts to end the invasion, including direct sanctions on Putin.
Kyiv city officials warned citizens to seek cover, stay away from windows, and take steps to prevent flying debris or gunfire.
The Kremlin accepted Kyiv’s offer to conduct talks, but it appeared to be an attempt to extract concessions from the embattled Zelenskyy rather than a move toward a diplomatic settlement.
The Russian military advanced further on Friday, claiming the city of Melitopol in southern Ukraine. Despite this, it remained unclear in the fog of war how much of Ukraine is still under Ukrainian control and how much Russian soldiers have occupied.
As the combat continued, Ukraine’s military reported shooting down an II-76 Russian transport plane carrying paratroopers near Vasylkiv, a city 25 miles (40 kilometres) south of Kyiv, an assertion verified by a senior American intelligence official. It was unclear how many people were on board. Transport planes can transport up to 125 paratroopers.
According to two American sources with firsthand knowledge of the situation in Ukraine, a second Russian military transport plane was shot down near Bila Tserkva, some 50 miles (85 kilometres) south of Kyiv.
Throughout it all, Russia remained unfazed, vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding that it halt bombing Ukraine and withdraw its soldiers immediately. The veto was predicted, but the United States and its backers claimed that the move would underscore Moscow’s international isolation. The 11-1 vote, with China, India, and the United Arab Emirates abstaining, demonstrated strong but not overwhelming opposition to Russia’s invasion of its smaller, militarily weaker neighbour.
Meanwhile, NATO opted to send components of the alliance’s reaction force to help protect its member nations in the east for the first time. NATO did not specify how many troops will be deployed, but did state that it would include land, sea, and air power.
The second day of Russia’s invasion, Europe’s largest ground combat since World War II, centred on Kiev, where Associated Press correspondents heard explosions before dawn. There have been reports of gunfire in a number of locations.
It was unknown how many people had died in total. Ukrainian officials reported at least 137 dead on their side on the first full day of conflict, while Russian officials claimed hundreds. Russian authorities have not disclosed any casualty figures.
United Nations officials confirmed 25 civilian casualties, largely from shelling and bombing, and estimated that 100,000 people had fled their homes. They believe that if the war worsens, up to 4 million people may evacuate.
Zelenskyy tweeted that he and US President Joe Biden spoke by phone about “strengthening sanctions, concrete defence support, and an antiwar coalition.”
Zelenskyy’s whereabouts were unknown after he told European leaders in a phone call on Thursday that he was Russia’s No. 1 target — and that they might not see him alive again. His office then posted a video of him standing outside the presidential office with senior aides, declaring that he and other government officials will remain in the capital.
Zelenskyy had previously volunteered to negotiate on a major Putin demand: that Ukraine declare itself neutral and relinquish its NATO ambitions. According to the Kremlin, Kyiv agreed to have discussions in Minsk at first, then claimed it preferred Warsaw and then ceased communication. Later, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Kyiv and Moscow would consider the prospects for talks on Saturday.
Screams, smoke, and flying dust greeted residents of a Kyiv residential complex. Russian bombardment, according to the mayor, ripped a section of the building apart and started a fire.
“Can you tell me what you’re up to?” “What exactly is this?” Yurii Zhyhanov, a resident, inquired of Russian servicemen. He, like so many other Ukrainians, grabbed what he could, grabbed his mother, and fled, vehicle alarms screeching behind him.
At the Pentagon, press secretary John Kirby stated that the United States believes the attack, particularly its push on Kiev, has progressed more slowly than Moscow had intended, noting that Ukrainian forces have fought back. However, he also stated that the military campaign is in its early stages and that things can quickly alter.
The Biden administration announced on Friday that it would freeze Putin and Lavrov’s assets, joining the European Union and the United Kingdom in directly penalising top Russian leaders.
The penalties against Putin and Lavrov, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, are “an example and demonstration of the West’s absolute incapacity.”
