Ukraine Russia Kyiv Near Catastrophe Berdyansk Falls Un Session Called

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Officials familiar with the matter told the Associated Press on Sunday that the exact timing of the shipment is not yet known, but that the U.S. is currently working to finalize logistics. The high-speed missiles will be used to shoot down helicopters and other aircraft as Ukrainian forces continue fighting against Russia’s invasion.

The revelation comes on the same day that the European Union announced it will support the purchase and delivery of $500 million worth of weapons to Ukraine. A day earlier, Germany announced its own pledge to send 500 Stinger missiles and other anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials have been pleading with Western nations to send more of the advanced weapons as the conflict reaches into its fourth day.

In footage shared widely on social media Sunday, the captain can be heard asking if the ship requesting assistance is Russian. When they respond with “yes,” he replies, “We refuse your refueling.”

The Russian ship then asked him to “leave politics aside,” prompting the captain unleash profanities and state, “Glory to Ukraine.” He then adds that the Russian ship “can always use oars, so row on.”

A recording of the exchange was shared by former Ukrainian ambassador Olexander Scherba:

In a Sunday motion, 11 members voted in favor of the session, while Russia opposed and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained.

“This is not an ordinary moment. We need to take extraordinary action to meet this threat to our international system and to do everything we can to help Ukraine and its people,” said U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon, and the Security Council will put vote on a resolution that calls for an immediate end to hostilities in Ukraine, as well as protection for civilians and humanitarian aid, the New York Times reported.

Svidlo posted a message to Facebook on Sunday describing how armed soldiers with heavy military equipment successfully advanced on the city.

“Some time ago, armed soldiers entered the executive committee building and introduced themselves as soldiers of the Russian army, they informed us that all administrative buildings were under their control and that they were taking control of the executive committee building,” he wrote in the message to residents, according to CNN.

Svidlo added that officials were asked to continue working “under the control of armed men,” but that he considered the proposal to be unacceptable, so members of the operational headquarters instead chose to leave the building.

“Today Berdyansk was on the line of fire. I don’t know what tomorrow will be like, but I think tonight will be very, very hard,” Svidlo said at the end of his post.

Berdyansk has a small naval base and a residential population of around 100,000. Earlier on Sunday, Russia’s defense ministry said that it had completely “blocked” Berdyansk and the nearby city Kherson, according to Reuters.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Klitschko said that “all ways are blocked” leaving the city, and that Kyiv is surrounded by Russian forces, drawing concerns that the capital is in a more vulnerable position than previously thought.

However, the spokesperson walked back on those claims.

“His spokesperson said that he misspoke, and that such information is ‘a lie and a manipulation,’” the Kyiv Independent reported.

In the same AP interview, Klitschko also said that Kyiv is “at the border of a humanitarian catastrophe” and lacks the infrastructure necessary to receive food and medical deliveries.

However, Klitschko maintained optimism and offered a message of unity for Ukrainians. “We are strong,” he said. “Every Ukrainian is proud to be independent, proud to be Ukrainian, and we are proud to have our own country.”

The organization said that the majority of hospitals in the country could exhaust their oxygen reserves “within the next 24 hours,” while others have already run out.

“The oxygen supply situation is nearing a very dangerous point in Ukraine. Trucks are unable to transport oxygen supplies from plants to hospitals across the country, including the capital Kyiv,” the organization said in a statement. “This puts thousands of lives at risk.”

Oxygen reserves are needed to treat a variety of hospital patients, including nearly 1,700 people currently being treated for COVID-19 in Ukraine. The WHO said it is now working with the nation’s health authorities to identify immediate supply needs and attempting to bring in more oxygen through regional networks, such as transporting supplies through neighboring Poland.

Several social media videos have emerged in the past few days allegedly showing that Black people being turned away or blocked from boarding trains while white Ukrainians are able to pass through.

In one video, a social media user alleged that Black people attempting to reach Poland were unable to cross over and instead were met with armed soldiers who “threatened to shoot.”

One Black man and father of three told The Independent that he and his family members were waved away from the border on Saturday after being told “No Blacks.”

“In all of my years as an activist, I have never seen anything like this. When I look into the eyes of those who are turning us away, I see bloodshot racism; they want to save themselves and they are losing their humanity in the process,” said Osarumen, a Nigerian national who has lived in Ukraine since 2009.

“It is going to be catastrophic in all senses: for the economy, for relations with the rest of the world, for the political situation,” a Moscow-based billionaire, who requested anonymity, told Reuters in an article published Sunday.

Two other Russian billionaires, Mikhail Fridman and Oleg Deripaska, similarly urged for an end to the conflict.

“Peace is very important,” Deripaska said in a Telegram post, while calling for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to take place “as fast as possible.”

Meanwhile, Fridman wrote in a letter that he was born in western Ukraine, where he lived until he was 17.

“My parents are Ukrainian citizens and live in Lviv, my favorite city, he stated. “But I have also spent much of my life as a citizen of Russia, building and growing businesses. I am deeply attached to the Ukrainian and Russian peoples and see the current conflict as a tragedy for them both.”

“I will say frankly, as always: I do not really believe in the result of this meeting, but let them try. So that no citizen of Ukraine would have any doubt that I, as president, did not try to stop the war when there was even a small chance,” Zelesnkyy said during a televised meeting.

“And while our guys are there, the president is here, the chief of staff is here, the prime minister is here, the army is here, the commander-in-chief is here. We will all defend our state and our borders,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Zelenskyy confirmed that talks would take place on Monday morning (local time) near the Pripyat River. He said Belarus has confirmed that all Russian “planes, helicopters and missiles” stationed on Belarusian territory will remain on the ground to ensure the safety of delegates.

Sergiy Kyslytsya, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations, made the statement on Twitter while calling on the Red Cross to help with the “repatriation of thousands of bodies of Russian soldiers.”

He included in his post Saturday a chart that reiterated Ukraine’s claim that around 3,500 Russian soldiers have been killed during the invasion so far.

“Don’t let Putin hide [the] scale of tragedy,” he added.

“This is a behavior which is irresponsible. And of course, if you combine this rhetoric with what they’re doing on the ground in Ukraine, waging war against an independent sovereign nation, conducting a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, this adds to the seriousness of the situation,” Stoltenberg said in an interview with CNN.

Putin said he is placing the country’s nuclear deterrence forces on high alert and transferring them “to a special mode of combat duty” as a response to hefty sanctions and “aggressive statements” by NATO.

Stoltenberg and White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Putin’s decision falls in a line with a pattern of aggressive and unnecessary action from Russia.

“It just highlights the importance of NATO allies standing together, America and Europe standing together, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Stoltenberg added.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Union commission, made the announcement while listing a new round of actions against Russia. She said the EU will finance the donation of weapons to Ukraine, ban the Russian state-funded broadcaster RT and expand sanctions against Belarus.

The action comes as several more EU countries—including Germany, Italy and Belgium—on Sunday announced that they would block Russian air travel as fighting reaches its fourth day in Ukraine.

“It’s very difficult to guess how many, but I think we should be prepared for millions,” Johansson said during an interview, according to CNN.

Previous estimates by the United Nations have predicted that number could reach as high as 5 million.

So far, around 300,000 Ukrainians have sought refuge in EU countries, Johansson added on Sunday. The EU is now preparing to launch a “solidarity platform” to coordinate support to member states as more Ukrainians are expected to arrive in the coming days.

“This is really a pattern that we’ve seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don’t exist in order to justify further aggression—and the global community and the American people should look at it through that prism,” Psaki said during an interview with ABC News.

“We’re going to stand up for it, we have the ability to defend ourselves, but we also need to call out what we’re seeing here from President Putin,” she added.

Earlier on Sunday, Putin said he would place Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert in response to economic sanctions from the West and “aggressive statements” from senior NATO officials.

One video captured lines snaking throughout a building, while other footage appeared to show that some ATMs have already begun running out of money.

On Saturday evening, the U.S. and several European allies agreed to expel certain Russian banks from SWIFT, a high-security banking system that connects major banking systems all over the world.

“This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally,” the White House said in a statement. “We stand with the Ukrainian people in this dark hour. Even beyond the measures we are announcing today, we are prepared to take further measures to hold Russia to account for its attack on Ukraine.”

“This could well be the beginning of the end for Putin. I fear that he is prepared to use the most unsavory means in this war,” Liz Truss told Sky News, adding that she fears the conflict “could be very, very bloody.”

“I urge the Russians not to escalate this conflict but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons. I think it would be hugely devastating. We need to avoid this at all costs,” Truss said.

Truss’ comments came just before Putin announced Sunday that Russia’s nuclear forces would be placed on high alert. Putin said he made that decision in response to crippling economic sanctions and “aggressive statements” from senior NATO officials.

“The U.S. is providing nearly $54 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine. This assistance enables humanitarian organizations to support citizens of Ukraine already in need and those newly affected by Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack,” U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken tweeted.

Blinken added that the aid will be channeled through NGOs and includes “provision of food, safe drinking water, shelter, emergency health care, winterization and protection.”

“We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River,” he wrote. “[Belarus President] Alexander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during Ukrainian delegations travel, talks and return.”

Zelenskyy’s statement comes after he earlier rejected Belarus as a location for peace talks and accused the nation of being complicit in Russia’s invasion. During a Sunday call between the two countries, Lukashenko denied that his troops were taking part in the conflict even though some Russian troops have accessed Ukraine through Belarus.

“Senior officials of the leading NATO countries also allow aggressive statements against our country, therefore I order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff [of the Russian Armed Forces] to transfer the deterrence forces of the Russian army to a special mode of combat duty,” Putin said in a televised statement, according to The Guardian.

The order means that Russia’s nuclear weapons will be prepared for increased readiness to launch.

Andrew Roth, a Moscow-based reporter for The Guardian, tweeted Sunday that Putin’s order is “a bluff until it isn’t.”

Germany, Italy, Belgium, Finland, and Denmark have joined a growing list of nations that have blocked Russian air travel as fighting continues in Ukraine. On Saturday, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Latvia also announced a ban on Russian airlines, while urging “all EU countries to do the same.” Others that closed their airspace earlier include the U.K., Poland, and the Czech Republic.

Since at least a dozen European countries have already announced a halt on Russian flights, an EU official said Sunday that the EU may initiate a formal ban among all members as part of a new round of sanctions, according to Reuters.

It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a phone call with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, according to the Interfax news agency.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy rejected Belarus as a location for peace talks with Russia, but touted alternative locations. Zelenskyy this morning called Russia’s decision to send a delegation to Belarus for talks “propaganda” and said Belarus was complicit in Russia’s full-scale invasion against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy hasn’t yet publicly commented on whether Ukraine has agreed to a meeting.

Russia earlier issued an ultimatum to Ukraine on the talks, saying Ukraine had until 3 p.m. Minsk time to decide whether to participate in negotiations in Gomel.

He made the announcement on his Telegram channel, without elaborating.

Zelenskyy has accused Belarus of taking part in Russia’s full-scale invasion against Ukraine. Lukashenko has denied his country’s troops were taking part, although some Russian troops accessed Ukraine through Belarus.

Klitschko said a further 47 civilians have been injured, including three children.

The mayor claimed there are no Russian troops remaining in Kyiv.

“Our military, law enforcement and territorial defence continue to detect and neutralize saboteurs,” Klitschko wrote on his Telegram channel.

“Control over Kharkiv is completely ours! The armed forces, the police, and the defense forces are working, and the city is being completely cleansed of the enemy,” Kharkiv Governor Oleh Sinegubov said in a statement.

Earlier, Sinegubov asked residents to remain at home after Russian troops entered Ukraine’s second largest city.

“Ukraine’s armed forces are destroying the enemy,” he said this morning.

This, combined with Germany announcing it would send weapons directly to Ukraine and that it would build new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals to break free from the country’s dependency on Russia’s natural gas, all reveal a remarkable turnaround in Germany’s attitude towards Russia since the invasion of Ukraine started.

The conflict could go on for “a number of years,” Truss said in an appearance on the Trevor Phillips On Sunday show.

Truss also said she feared that the fighting in Ukraine could be “very, very bloody” amid concerns that Russia could soon deploy themobaric weapons against Ukraine.

“I urge Russians not to escalate this conflict, but we do need to be prepared for Russia to seek to use even worse weapons,” Truss said. “I think it would be hugely devastating.”

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“The delegation of the Russian Federation, headed by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, remains in Minsk and is ready to wait until 15:00 Belarusian time for the Ukrainian side to confirm its readiness to take part in the negotiations in Gomel,” Leonid Slutsky, a member of the State Duma of Russia, wrote on his Telegram page on Sunday.

In a video address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected Belarus as a location for talks with Russia, but left the door open for talks elsewhere. He said Belarus was complicit in Russia’s full-scale invasion against Ukraine.

“The sooner the negotiation process starts, the more lives will be saved,” Slutsky wrote.

He warned that “in the event of another refusal and new excuses, the entire responsibility for the further development of events will lie with the current government of Ukraine.”

“Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ,” Zelenskyy tweeted Sunday afternoon. "

The leader said Russia must be held accountable for “manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression.”

“We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week,” he wrote.

The move comes four days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” against Ukraine.

“Shocking Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight. #Ireland will move to shut off Irish Airspace to all Russian Aircraft. We encourage other EU partners to do the same,” he tweeted.

Coveney added, “We also support new wide-ranging sanctions to be agreed today at EU FAC & new assistance package for #Ukraine.”

It comes after Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Romania announced similar measures on Saturday. The United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic have also imposed curbs closing their airspace to Russian flights.

Finland also said on Sunday officials would implement flight bans.

Russia has responded by closing its airspace to planes from Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Estonia, the Czech Republic, UK, Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania.

“In the current situation, in the interests of the citizens of Ukraine, Zelensky should look for any opportunity for negotiations. But instead of participating in them, he is looking for excuses,” Vyacheslav Volodin, a senior lawmaker, wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday.

Zelenskyy rejected Belarus as a location for negotiations with Russia, but left the door open for talks elsewhere. He said Belarus was complicit in Russia’s massive military operation against Ukraine.

A Kremlin spokesman said Sunday that a Russian delegation arrived in Belarus for “first negotiations” with Ukrainian counterparts, according to IFAX news agency.

Zelenskyy called Russia’s decision to send a delegation to Belarus for talks “propaganda” and said Belarus was complicit in Russia’s full-scale invasion against Ukraine.

He said Kyiv is prepared to engage in talks “in other locations.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov hit back by claiming that Ukrainian officials chose the Belarusian city of Gomel as the location for negotiations, multiple Russian state-run media outlets reported Sunday.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, urged prospective foreign fighters “willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine” to contact their foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine in their respective countries.

“Anyone who wants to join in defending Europe and the world’s security can come and stand side by side with Ukrainians against the invaders of the 21st century,” Ukraine’s Armed Forces added in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile thanked his soldiers on Sunday in a televised address. Russian forces are “heroically fulfilling their military duty” in Ukraine, Putin said.

“Hundreds of thousands of people” have also been left without access to water or electricity in Ukraine due to damage to civilian infrastructure, the agency said.

Russian officials have repeatedly claimed that its forces are targeting only Ukrainian military infrastructure with prevision weapons in a mission ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24.

Ukrainian armed forces on Sunday clashed with Russian forces on the streets of the northeastern city, located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border.

“The Russian enemy’s light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city center,” Kharkiv Governor Oleh Sinegubov said in a statement. “Ukraine’s armed forces are destroying the enemy. We ask civilians not to go out.”

Anton Herashchenko, adviser to the interior minister, published videos showing light military entering the city. He urged Kharkiv’s 1.4 million residents to remain at home.

The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in the city, warning that the explosion could cause an “environmental catastrophe.”

Residents have been asked to cover their windows with a damp cloth and to drink plenty of fluids.

Ukrainians still hold all major cities in the country, government officials said Sunday, days after Putin announced a “special military operation” against Ukraine.

Several Ukrainian government agencies and banks have been attacked by malicious data-wiping software in the past week. The U.S. and U.K. have blamed such attacks on Russia, though the Kremlin has denied its involvement.

The European Union (EU) similarly announced this week that it will activate its Cyber Rapid Response Team to help Ukraine defend against vulnerabilities. The team includes experts from Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania and marks the first time it is being deployed.

“Had a phone conversation with @BorisJohnson. Grateful to the British Prime Minister for his position, new decisions to enhance the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian army. Agreed on further joint steps to counter the aggressor,” he wrote on Twitter.

Earlier on Saturday, Germany announced that it will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles to boost Ukraine’s military.

“The world has seen Ukrainians are powerful, Ukrainians are brave,” Zelenskyy said during a Saturday speech. “We will fight as long as it takes to liberate the country.”

Throughout the day, Ukrainian forces largely remained successful at slowing the advancement of Russian troops in Kyiv and other cities, but reports in the evening indicated that the capital was again experiencing regular shelling.

“Eyewitnesses reported that the city is under fire from multiple-launch rocket systems,” the Kyiv Independent added in a tweet on Saturday evening.

Also on Saturday, at least six people were injured after a Russian missile struck a residential apartment building on the outskirts of Kyiv. Videos and images of the attack showed a massive hole in the side of the building.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in an afternoon statement that Russian forces have changed their tactics and are more often “firing on residential housing, hospitals, and schools.”

“Russian claims that the United States was involved in any way with Ukrainian naval operations near the Zmiiny Island are false. We did not provide ISR or any other support. Chalk this up to just one more lie by the Russian Ministry of Defense,” Kirby told CNN.

Earlier on Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense said it was “highly likely that it was American UAVs” that directed 16 Ukrainian boats to attack ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet near Zmiiny Island on Friday.

“During the attack by Ukrainian boats over the provocation area, U.S. strategic unmanned aerial vehicles RQ-4 ‘Global Hawk’ and MQ-9A ‘Reaper’ were overhead,” Russian defense ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed in a statement.

Konashenkov also said that six boats of the Ukrainian navy were destroyed during the altercation, but that 82 Ukrainian servicemen from the island were not injured.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement, marking a significant shift in the country’s policy. “In this situation, it is our duty to help Ukraine, to the best of our ability, to defend itself against Vladimir Putin’s invading army,” he added.

The German economy and climate ministry also said Germany is allowing the Netherlands to ship 400 German-made anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, according to the Associated Press.

The announcement comes after Germany previously said it would avoid exporting deadly weapons to Ukraine. The nation came under fire earlier on Saturday for contributing 5,000 helmets to Ukraine’s defense, a move that Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called “a joke.”

The streaming service will also limit recommendations to videos posted by those channels, and said that such outlets would no longer be accessible in Ukraine due to “a government request,” according to YouTube spokesperson Farshad Shadloo.

The move comes after other big tech companies, including Twitter and Meta (which owns Facebook), blocked Russian state media from generating ads on their social media platforms.

“It seems that Ukraine has gained the sincerity and attention of the whole normal, civilized world. And the practical result is here—SWIFT,” Zelenskyy said, according to Ukrainian news outlet Ukrinform. “Our diplomats have been fighting around the clock for all countries in Europe to agree on a very strong and fair decision to cut Russia off from the international interbank network. We also have this important victory.”

Zelenskyy noted that this will likely means billions in losses for Russia.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also claimed earlier on Saturday that the process has been put in place for Russia to be barred from SWIFT.

“The official decision has not yet been made, but the technical preparation for the decision and the implementation of this sanction has already begun. We gnawed and gnawed. The whole vartikalʹ [sic] of Ukrainian diplomacy worked - from the President of Ukraine to the atache [sic] in the Ukrainian embassy,” Kuleba wrote on Facebook.

“This victory is dedicated to all defenders of Ukraine,” he added.

Sources familiar with the process told the Ukrainian news agency LB.ua that Hungary, Cyprus and Germany—three countries that previously expressed skepticism in implementing the ban—have chosen to join the rest of the EU in their decision. In order to disconnect Russia from SWIFT, all 27 EU member states must unanimously agree to it.

The move would deal a significant blow to Russia’s economy and its ability to trade with most of the world. SWIFT, which stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is a high-security network that connects more than 11,000 financial institutions globally.

Italy on Saturday became one of the latest countries to support blocking Russia from the high-security network that connects over 11,000 financial institutions around the world.

Other leaders, including U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have issued support for the ban, signaling that the European Union might soon implement the action. However, some countries, including Germany, have expressed hesitation. The move would make it harder to buy Russian oil and gas and would ultimately require support from all 27 members of the European Union.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Friday, “Russia is waging a horrific war of aggression in Europe. Here is your ’never again’ test: BAN RUSSIA FROM SWIFT and kick it out of everywhere.”

Of those, at least 1,300 have been detained in Moscow alone and more than 300 were arrested on Saturday. Protests have been happening in dozens of cities throughout the country for days, with thousands of people urging the government to seek peace and put an end to the conflict.

Russia’s Investigative Committee warned that such demonstrations were illegal and that those arrested may be left with criminal records and a “mark” on their future.

“It was yesterday that the aggressive actions of the armed forces of the Russian Federation escalated, up to evening and night mass air and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. We consider such actions only an attempt to break Ukraine and force it to accept categorically unacceptable conditions,” Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told Reuters.

Earlier on Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov claimed that Ukraine had “declined talks” and that Russian troops would continue to advance in the country.

“[The State Road Agency of Ukraine] Ukravtodor calls on all travel organizations, territorial communities, local governments to immediately begin dismantling road signs nearby,” the agency said in a Saturday statement, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

“The enemy has a miserable connection, they do not navigate the terrain. Let’s help them go straight to hell,” the agency added.

Some Ukrainians have gone a step further and changed road signs to instead read “Go F*** Yourselves,” journalist Christo Grozev tweeted on Saturday.

https://twitter.com/christogrozev/status/1497570179026403329

“I came to Berlin to shake the conscience of Germany so that they would finally decide on truly harsh sanctions that will influence the Kremlin’s decisions,” Morawiecki said ahead of talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

“All sanctions against Russia should be on the table,” he continued, while noting that “we have no time to lose.”

Morawiecki has also slammed Germany for not sending sufficient weapons and ammunition to Ukraine and urged the country to “cut reliance on raw materials, cut off Russian financial institutions from capital markets, confiscate assets of oligarchs, and close off SWIFT for Russia.”

He noted Germany sent helmets to Ukraine, adding, “This must be a joke.”

“Anonymous has ongoing operations to keep .ru government websites offline, and to push information to the Russian people so they can be free of Putin’s state censorship machine. We also have ongoing operations to keep the Ukrainian people online as best we can,” the group tweeted.

Several notable websites that have have gone dark include the Kremlin, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, and the State Duma, according to the network tracking tool NetBlocks, which added that the hacks appear to be “consistent with previous cyberattacks.”

The Kremlin denied it was being attacked by Anonymous in a state-run media report on Friday, according to CNN. However, each of the government websites has been inaccessible for a period of time over the past three days

The governments of Estonia, Romania, Lithuania and Latvia each announced that they would temporarily ban Russian flights in an effort to stand with their Ukrainian allies.

“We invite all EU countries to do the same. There is no place for planes of the aggressor state in democratic skies. #StandWithUkraine,” Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tweeted Saturday.

The Romanian delegation to NATO also tweeted: “Unprovoked & unjustified Russia attack on Ukraine brings serious consequences,” in announcing an airline ban.

The move comes after the U.K., Poland, Moldova and the Czech Republic closed their airspace to Russian airlines this week following the invasion.

Poroshenko used those numbers on CNN, while giving a plea for the nation to receive more weapons, including anti-tank javelins and anti-aircraft weapons, in order to continue fighting.

Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also said Saturday that as many as 200 Russian soldiers have been taken prisoner, while 14 warplanes, eight helicopters, 102 tanks and 536 armored vehicles have been shot down.

Podolyak also stressed in a statement that as fighting continues, “the situation in Kyiv and Kyiv region is under control,” according to Anadolu Agency.

However, Poroshenko noted that those who remain in Kyiv are aware that they face the possibility of death.

“When you are protecting your nation, there is a unique opportunity to be above your fear,” Poshenko told CNN. “I hate the idea to bid my country goodbye. But we should protect the nation.”

“I am proud of these people, I am proud of this country. and I am proud to be Ukrainian,” he added.

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko said that 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed during the Russian invasion.

“I think that the war should be stopped immediately. Voting for the recognition of the DNR/LNR, I voted for peace, not for war. For Russia to become a shield, so that Donbass is not bombed, and not for Kyiv being bombed,” according to Moscow Times reporter Felix Light.

Matveev’s statement makes him the first federal-level Russian lawmaker to oppose the ongoing invasion, Light noted.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov told reporters on Saturday that Russian troops would continue to advance in the country “since the Ukrainian side has essentially declined talks,” according to The New York Times.

Ukraine has not confirmed whether it’s rejected such negotiations, leading many to suspect Russia is presenting a false narrative about the ongoing conflict.

During Saturday’s call, Peskov continued to claim that Russian troops are advancing in order to fight “nationalists and Banderovites.” Banderovites is a pejorative term that refers to World War II–era Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan Bandera, according to the Times.

The department has stated that any reporter who is going against the government and “disseminating false information” could be threatened with a fine of up to 5 million rubles ($59,650).

At least three Russian journalists with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have so far been detained in Moscow for covering anti-war protests, according to the IPI. Others have been ordered to remove reports about strikes against Ukrainian cities, with Roskomnadzor deeming them to be “false reports about acts of terrorism.”

“IPI strongly condemns the cynical efforts by Russian authorities to suppress and censor independent reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen said in a statement on Friday.

“We strongly oppose the attempts by the government and security forces to threaten media outlets into silence with fines or stifle independent journalism which threatens to puncture the Kremlin’s narrative. The arrest of clearly identifiable journalists who were simply covering a peaceful anti-war demonstration is a worrying sign of the increasing censorship likely to follow.”

Blinken said he has “authorized, pursuant to a delegation by the President, an unprecedented third Presidential Drawdown of up to $350 million for immediate support to Ukraine’s defense.”

“This brings the total security assistance the United States has committed to Ukraine over the past year to more than $1 billion,” he added. "

The funds will include additional lethal defensive assistance for Ukraine.”

“It is another clear signal that the United States stands with the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereign, courageous, and proud nation,” Blinken said.

“The enemy is trying to change its tactics. Russian troops are firing on residential housing, hospitals, and schools,” Reznikov said on his Facebook page.

The defense minister said that Russian forces have switched to sabotage and paratroop assaults “since their plan for a quick offensive fell flat.”

Reznikov said more than 200 Russian soldiers had been taken prisoner since February 24 “and their number continues to increase.”

“They did not expect us to fight back and are surrendering,” he added.

“We successfully fought off enemy attacks,” he said. “We are defending our country, our land, the future of our children. Kyiv and key locations near the capital are under our control.”

The Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin, meanwhile claimed on Saturday that Zelenskyy had left Kyiv, for the city of Lviv.

He provided no concrete evidence to support his claims but said deputies from the State Duma had attempted to meet him in Kyiv.

“Zelenskyy hastily left Kyiv. He wasn’t in the capital of Ukraine yesterday. Together with his entourage, he fled to the city of Lviv, where he and his assistants were equipped with a place to live,” Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel.

Volodin also sought to claim that Zelenskyy’s recent video addresses were pre-recorded.Zelenskyy turned down an offer from the U.S. to evacuate on Friday, saying: “The fight is here.”

Read the full article here.

Effective Saturday, Klitschko said a 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew would be in place, “for a more effective defense of the capital and the security of its residents.”

The mayor said the curfew would be enforced until the morning of February 28. It replaces a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew that was rolled out on February 24—when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” against Ukraine.

“All civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance groups,” Klitschko said. “Please treat the situation with understanding and do not go outside.”

Ukraine’s parliament issued its warning on Twitter, a day after residents of the Odesa province were warned that explosives can be scattered in the city disguised as toys and mobile phones.

“These items can be filled with explosives. Never touch or lift these things. Warn children and loved ones,” the Odesa Regional State Administration said on Facebook Friday.

A Russian rocket hit the residential building in the early hours on Saturday morning, prompting Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba to issue a list of demands in a statement condemning the attack.

“I demand the world: fully isolate Russia, expel ambassadors, oil embargo, ruin its economy. Stop Russian war criminals!” Kuleba tweeted this morning.

Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko shared an image of the building after the missile strike, showing a gaping hole on one side of the apartment complex.

“For safety’s sake, stay at home or in shelters as much as possible! Leave your home just to go to the shelter. We are defending our city!” he said on Twitter.

“Units of the Russian Armed Forces have established full control over the city of Melitopol,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov was quoted as saying on Saturday.

“Russian servicemen are taking all measures to ensure the safety of civilians and exclude provocations from the Ukrainian special services and nationalists,” he added.

Ukrainian officials have yet to comment on the reports.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Kherson, Igor Kolykhaiev, said in a statement on Saturday that the city, located in the south, remains under Ukrainian control.

Russian forces established attack lines overnight into Kherson, as well as into Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv, and the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv.

“We now see over 120,000 people that have gone to all of the neighboring countries,” the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Kelly Clements, told CNN in an interview.

“The reception that they are receiving from local communities, from local authorities, is tremendous. But it’s a dynamic situation. We are really quite devastated, obviously, with what’s to come,” she added, noting that the majority of Ukrainians are seeking refuge in Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary.

The Polish border service said Saturday that roughly 47,500 people crossed the Ukrainian border with Poland on February 25.

Penn arrived in Ukraine this week to continue filming a documentary about Russian aggression towards Ukraine. In a statement sent to Newsweek on Friday night, Penn said, “Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and If he doesn’t relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind.”

Read the full Newsweek story here.

Three children were among those killed, and 33 children have been injured in the Russian offensive since February 24, health minister Viktor Lyashko said in a statement.

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said early Friday that at least 137 people had been killed and 316 wounded as a result of clashes with Russian forces.

“Ukraine’s troops are repelling air strikes, they destroyed military transport aircraft carrying Russia’s paratroopers, continue to carry out systematic fighting,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Facebook.

The mayor also announced on Saturday morning that Kyiv’s metro stations will be used as shelters. Metro trains will no longer be running in the city, he said.

“There will be no transport,” Klitschko wrote on his Telegram channel.

The Kiev City State Administration earlier on Saturday asked residents to remain at home, and to hide in a shelter should they hear a siren.

A 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew has been in place in Kyiv since February 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” against Ukraine.

As Ukrainian defense forces sought to maintain control of the capital, explosions and gunfire were heard as Moscow launched coordinated strikes on the third day of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

In Kyiv, 35 people were injured, including two children, due to street clashes with sabotage groups, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

“Unfortunately, sabotage groups operate in Kyiv. As of 06:00, there were several clashes, skirmishes, 35 people were injured, including two children,” Klitschko said on Telegram on Saturday.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday morning condemned a missile strike on an apartment building in southwestern Kyiv, located near Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

“Kyiv, our splendid, peaceful city, survived another night under attacks by Russian ground forces, missiles. One of them has hit a residential apartment in Kyiv. I demand the world: fully isolate Russia, expel ambassadors, oil embargo, ruin its economy. Stop Russian war criminals!” Kuleba said in a statement.

No casualties have been reported at this stage.

Internet access has faced disruption in both Kyiv and the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv. While access has been mostly restored, connections are intermittent throughout parts of the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has alleged that the Ukrainian government is full of “drug addicts” and “neo-Nazis” without evidence. Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy has fought back against these claims, saying, “You are told we are Nazis, but how can a people support Nazis that gave more than 8 million lives for the victory over Nazism? How can I be a Nazi? Tell my grandpa, who went through the whole war in the infantry of the Soviet Army and died as a colonel in independent Ukraine,” according to a translation from GZERO Media CEO Ian Bremmer.

Zelenskyy is himself Jewish, and has spoken in the past about family members killed in the Holocaust, including his great-grandparents.

The special lighting was done at the request of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, according to the fact-checking site Snopes.com. Images of the tower have been shared numerous times on social media.

France has pledged to provide defensive equipment and 300 million Euros (roughly $338.2 million) to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a Friday speech.

“Sanctions toward Russia will be on the level of the aggressions it is itself guilty of,” Macron said in a Thursday speech. “On the military and economic level, as well as the field of energy, we will be without weakness,” he added.

The Eiffel Tower isn’t the only landmark to be lit up in the colors of the Ukrainian flag since Russia’s invasion.

The Empire State Building in New York City, the London Eye Ferris wheel in England, St Andrew’s House in Scotland, the medieval capital of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria, the Brandenburg Gate in Germany, the Fisherman’s Bastion in Hungary and the Colosseum and Mole Antonelliana temple spire in Italy have all also been lit up in blue and yellow.

“Significant internet disruption registered in Ukraine-controlled city of Kharkiv shortly after huge explosions heard; users report loss of fixed-line service on provider Triolan while cellphones continue to work,” NetBlocks posted on Twitter.

NetBlocks said users reported losses of fixed-line service, which is wired networks that support fixed broadband and telephone services. The organization noted that the disruption began when there were reports of huge explosions in the area.

On Saturday morning, local time, another internet provider, GigaTrans, reported a major disruption. GigaTrans supplies connectivity to several other networks as well.

Though some connectivity returned to GigaTrans roughly an hour ago, NetBlocks says the service is still intermittent.

“Work is ongoing to assess the incidents and their contexts. Telecoms disruptions in Ukraine have so far been attributed to power outages, cyberattacks, sabotage, and kinetic impacts,” NetBlocks said.

“We also continue to apply labels to additional Russian state media,” Gleicher’s announcement continued. “These changes have already begun rolling out and will continue into the weekend.”

He said Facebook will continue to monitor the situation in Ukraine and will publicly share its steps to protect Facebook users.

Russian officials have recently said they would partially restrict its citizens’ access to Facebook to “protect Russian media” and protest the platforms “violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms.”

In actuality, Russia has opposed Facebook’s fact-checking of numerous Russian government and state media accounts. Facebook is also an organizing tool of Russian dissidents who are most likely to oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier on Friday, Twitter announced it would not be serving advertising to users in both Russia and Ukraine.

“I am addressing the servicemen of Ukraine’s Armed Forces once again: Do not let neo-Nazi and Bandera supporters use your children, your wives, and seniors as a human shield. Take matters into your own hands” Putin said, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

“It seems that you and I will have a better chance of reaching an agreement than with that gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis that are holed up in Kyiv and are holding the entire Ukrainian nation hostage.”

Putin and Russian media have tried to cast Ukraine’s government as illegitimate, corrupt and anti-Semitic.

Military experts, including former NATO Commander Wesley Clark, believe that Putin’s chief military objective in the invasion is to oust the current Ukrainian government and replace officials with individuals who will bend to Putin’s desire, The Denver Gazette reported.

In response to Putin’s claims, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “You are told we are Nazis, but how can a people support Nazis that gave more than 8 million lives for the victory over Nazism? How can I be a Nazi? Tell my grandpa, who went through the whole war in the infantry of the Soviet Army and died as a colonel in independent Ukraine,” he said, according to a translation from GZERO Media CEO Ian Bremmer.

In response to Putin’s remarks Friday, Ukraine’s government posted an image on Twitter showing a small version of Putin being affectionately patted by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Images were released by U.S.-based company Maxar Technologies, which has been tracking the Russian military’s movement for weeks.

Maxar says the images show a 4.3-mile long “traffic jam of people, cars and trucks trying to leave Ukraine and cross into Romania near the Siret border crossing.”

Early Friday afternoon Maxar released additional satellite images revealing “several large deployments of ground forces, ground attack and transport helicopters (nearly 150) and support equipment in southern Belarus, approximately 20 miles from the border with Ukraine and less than 100 miles from Kyiv.”

Maxar noted a deployment of more than 90 helicopters parked on a road extending for more than five miles. The satellite images also showed an additional 50 helicopters at the V.D. Bokov airfield near Mazyr, Belarus.

“I believe that the sanctions that [President Joe Biden] has put in will constrict Russia’s ability to function as a strong economy. It will restrict it and make them weaker and weaker,” Schumer said in a Friday night interview on MSNBC.

However, Schumer also acknowledged that it would take some time for the sanctions to start to squeeze Russia’s economy. In the meanwhile, he said that Russian troops should expect extreme resistance from Ukrainians fighting against another Russian occupation, the likes of which last occurred during World War II.

“These are people who don’t want the Russians to do what they have done to Ukraine in the past, as recently as the ’30s, with Stalin’s horrible tactics of starving millions of Ukrainians,” Schumer said. “There is going to be fierce resistance. Putin will come to regret this.”

“Look,” Schumer added, he’s a bully. He’s a thug. He has a monomaniacal desire to restore the Soviet Empire. But he will ultimately fail."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the sanctions so far have demonstrated the West’s “absolute impotence” with foreign policy.

The White House has so far issued sanctions against major Russian banks and oligarchs as well as the Nord Stream 2 oil pipeline and the import of U.S. technologies into the country.

On Friday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he has spoken with U.S. President Joe Biden about “strengthening sanctions” on Russia. His plea echoed bipartisan calls in the U.S. to do the same.

“Whatever we can do to stop the bloodshed we must do,” Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk said. Ukraine wants “Putin to stop, to sit over the table and to speak instead of killing our people,” he added.

Zelenskyy is hoping Israel can use its close ties with Moscow to help sway Russian President Putin to stop the invasion. Israel has been in a tough position choosing sides of the conflict.

Although Israeli leaders condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Israel has a standing relationship with Moscow that lets the country use the airspace in Syria, which is controlled by Russia. Israel sees a need to continue the relationship with Russia to combat the smuggling of weapons," according to Times of Israel.

“We are more looking for the Israeli diplomatic effort, as an intermediary,” Korniychuk said. “We always look to Israel as one of the most prominent possible intermediaries for Mr. Putin.”

The number is in addition to the nearly 1,800 anti-invasion protesters who have already been arrested in 54 different Russian cities over the last 36 hours, according to The Guardian.

Russia has tried to justify its invasion to the Russian public and the world by claiming that it’s necessary to stop ethnic Russians under attack in the eastern Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Luhansk. However, Russia has also cracked down on any public protests challenging this narrative. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelenskyy of being a Neo-Nazi, despite Zelenskyy being both Jewish and the grandchild of holocaust survivors.

Some older Russians have been sympathetic to the invasion, wanting to restore the prestige and wealth of the former Soviet Union, according to The New York Times. Other Russians oppose the war, in part because millions of them have friends and relatives in Ukraine.

A poll conducted by the independent, nongovernmental Russian polling agency Levada last year found that more than half of Russians supported Russia’s laying claim to the eastern Ukrainian territories.

“We know that millions of Russians do not want war,” European Union President Ursula von der Leyen wrote in a public statement on Thursday. “President Putin is trying to turn back the clock to the times of the Russian empire. But in doing so, he is putting at risk the future of the Russian people.”

Rapid gunfire and explosions can be heard outside the Ukrainian capital from a live stream video on Youtube.

The latest update from the Ministry of Defense Ukraine says Russia attempted to attack a military unit on Victory Avenue in Kyiv but repelled the ambush.

“Our anti-air defense forces demonstrate true military skill by destroying modern opponent’s aircraft and helicopters by firing winged missiles in the sky,” the Ukraine Armed Forces posted on Facebook. “There are hundreds of lives saved.”

Ukrainian Member of Parliament Kira Rudik spoke to CNN on Friday and said the Ukraine military has done a good job keeping Russians from the capital.

“So it’s intensifying and there are Russian forces on in the north and the south of the city, but they’re not moving and making great progress,” Rudik said.

Rudik also reported “thousands” of Russian army casualties over the past two days.

Protesters waved yellow and blue Ukrainian flags, a large blue and yellow banner held above the street as well as numerous hand-painted signs.

They also chanted “Stand with Ukraine”, “Stop Russia now”, “Stop Putin, stop war,” “Hands off Ukraine,” as well as “F*** Putin, not okay. Ukraine is not for you to take.”

Temperatures during the protest dropped to below freezing. Also on Friday, protesters gathered outside of the Russian mission to the United Nations. New York City has the largest Ukrainian community in the U.S., according to Reuters.

On Thursday, a protest occurred outside Russia’s embassy in Washington D.C. around 1 a.m. EST, shortly after Russia’s declaration of war against Ukraine.

Protests occurred worldwide on Thursday and Friday in Russian embassies in Tokyo and Tel Aviv as well as outside of government offices in cities like London, Paris, Berlin, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Dublin and Prague, Reuters added.

Kazakhstan has said that it will not officially recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, the two Russian-controlled territories in east Ukraine that Russia used as a pretext for its invasion.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin talked with Kazakh President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev on Friday to discuss “joint efforts to prevent the decrease of trade volume between the two nations” amid international sanctions against Russia for its invasion, according to Radio Free Europe.

Russia claimed the east Ukrainian territories were essentially part of its country since many ethnic Russians reside there. Russia has armed, financed and politically controlled separatist factions in the regions since 2014, according to The Guardian.

Russia sent its military on a so-called peacekeeping mission to those territories and announced its intention to occupy them as well after claiming that Ukrainians had committed genocide against its ethnically Russian residents. The claim of genocide has been disregarded as fake by the U.S. intelligence agencies and other international intelligence agencies.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on Twitter that it shot down a Russian plane carrying paratroopers towards Kyiv.

“At around midnight, two enemy targets, a helicopter and a Su-25 attack aircraft of the Russian occupation forces were shot down by the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the Joint Forces operation,” the ministry said on Twitter.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces have continuously updated their Twitter with updates on the battle while keeping morale high.

“More than 40 hours of repulse to the Russian occupiers proved that we have the most powerful army in Europe and a fearless people,” said Oleksii Reznikov, minister of Defense of Ukraine.

“People of the World…Like you, I am distraught watching Ukraine under attack,” the Washington D.C.-based chef wrote in a Friday tweet. “We must come together as a force for good! @WCKitchen is on Poland border delivering meals tonight—Romania soon. In addition to your donations…I am committing support from the Bezos award to Ukraine.”

In a video accompanying his tweet, Andrés announced that he would donate between $5 and $10 million to local chefs and organizations in Poland who are already helping feed refugees. The funding will help them continue.

“A very hard situation, obviously, and many of you are thinking, ‘What can I do?’” Andrés said in his video.

“Here is a fight and we’re going to make sure that nobody’s going hungry and they’re shown the respect that they deserve,” he continued. “There’s no more of allowing people that they think they are top of the world, that they are bad people bringing the worst out of humanity. We need to be a force of good. And you know how we do this? By believing in longer tables. Not to start bombing. Food at the center of communities, this is how we will create a better world.

The United Nations estimates that nearly 100,000 refugees have already left Ukraine. These refugees will need food, clothing, shelter, possibly “formal pathways to legal status,” education, and healthcare and other needs, according to Vox.

Founded by Andrés in 2010, WCK has distributed over 60 million fresh meals to people affected by natural and man-made disasters, according to its website.

A documentary about the organization, We Feed People, will premier at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas on March 19. The documentary was directed by Ron Howard.

Kinzinger hints that Putin may also invade other countries if he is not stopped. Kinzinger suggested leaders declare a “no fly zone” over Ukraine skies—if Ukrainian leaders agree to it in order to give Ukraine “a fair fight.”

“History teaches that taking a stand is inevitable and gets more costly with time,” Kinzinger said. “We own the skies, Russia cannot hold a candle to our air power.”

The Representative also made a grim declaration. He said Ukraine’s fate will also determine the West’s.

“The fate of Ukraine is being decided tonight, but also the fate of the west,” he said.

Twitter said the pause in ads is “to ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don’t detract from it.” Twitter says its top priority is keeping people on the platform safe.

That includes limiting ads from hindering important information from officials like Ukraine President Zelenskyy who has been very active on Twitter. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has also posted daily updating citizens on their movement.

Twitter has blocked “Tweet Recommendations” for users in Russia and Ukraine. The pause doesn’t allow tweets from people a user doesn’t follow to be recommended to “reduce the spread of abusive content.”

The woman reportedly violated part 5 of article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

Nearly 1,800 anti-invasion protesters have been arrested in 54 different Russian cities over the last 36 hours, according to The Guardian. The Russian government, which controls most mainstream national media, regularly cracks down against any protests criticizing the government.

However, international observers have said the number of Russian protesters would have to dramatically increase in order to genuinely destabilize and challenge the government.

The rally was partly in reaction to Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s Friday announcement that Georgia won’t issue sanctions against Russia for its invasion.

Attendees waved the Ukrainian and Georgian flags, singing both countries’ national anthems and chanted anti-Russian slogans, Agence France Presse reported. Others demanded that Garibashvili resign.

Government critics including opposition parties the United National Movement (UNM), Lelo, Girchi—More Freedom, the Labour Party, and European Georgia, have criticized the government for not more forcefully opposing Russia’s invasion, according to east European news website OC Media.

Elsewhere, protesters assembled outside of the Ukrainian Embassy in the city.

“Russian troops are not bombing Ukrainian cities and we said that they are not threatened by anything,” said Nebenzya. “There is no verifiable confirmation whatsoever about the deaths of civilians.”

Nebenzya went on to cite videos that have gone viral on the internet of tanks and armored trucks paving through Ukraine’s territory. He said the tanks in the video aren’t Russia’s because they don’t have that kind of technology.

“The Russian military does not have this kind of equipment,” Nebenzya said. “They are obsolete. This is the kind of fake information that you are using.”

Russia’s denying of the invasion shook the internet. Twitter users accused Nebenzya of gaslighting the situation and asked if not Russia then who is invading Ukraine.

Approximately 85 percent of Republicans and 38 percent of Democrats shared this opinion.

Additionally, 59 percent said they believed Putin invaded Ukraine because he saw weakness in President Joe Biden. Alternately, 41 percent said that Biden’s weakness wasn’t a factor in Putin’s decision to invade.

The poll echoes sentiments voiced by Trump and other U.S. Republican Congress members like Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton.

Opponents of this viewpoint state that Trump repeatedly permissive towards Putin throughout his presidency.

During his campaign, Trump suggested that he was OK with Russia keeping the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, which Russia aggressively seized under Putin in 2014. Trump also opposed U.S. involvement in NATO. Putin also opposes NATO, an organization specifically formed to challenge Russia’s military expansion.

Shared on Twitter by Kateryna Yushchenko, former first lady of Ukraine, the picture shows the man holding a small suitcase, containing “2 t-shirts, a pair of extra pants, a toothbrush and a few sandwiches for lunch.”

When asked why he wanted to sign up, the post claims he said he was doing it for his grandkids.

This is just another heartbreaking visual of Ukrainian citizens being shared. A viral video on Thursday showed a couple saying their goodbye at a subway station in Ukraine.

The father and daughter were both crying and embracing each other. The picture was devastating. The video concluded with the mother and daughter on a bus, likely leaving town for safety. The father then puts his hand on the window.

A spokesperson for Estonia’s Foreign Ministry told Newsweek that all Ukrainians—whether in civilian clothes or in uniform—will be allowed to enter the country under its existing visa waiver program. The spokesperson said Estonia has decided to extend the allowed period of stay for Ukrainian citizens beyond the 90 days enshrined in law.

Read the complete story here.

Thousands of Kyiv residents have spent their night in metro stations and bomb shelters around the city—sometimes bringing children, pets and a small allotment of food and supplies—as rocket attacks and explosions occur above ground, the BBC reported.

Some people staying in metro stations said they will stay underground until the fighting stops, though they’re unsure how long that might be.

Ukraine’s metro stations were built deep underground and designed to double as bomb shelters in case of enemy attack, according to journalist Camille Squires. The Kyiv city government’s map of nearly 3,000 designated bomb shelters includes 47 of the city’s 52 subway stations, she wrote.

Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said, “Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany.”

Russia vetoed a draft UN resolution that would have deplored Moscow’s attack on Ukraine, making troops withdraw immediately. The 11-1 vote—with China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining—showed the majority of UN allies in opposition of the war.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield spoke against Russia’s decision.

“Not surprisingly, Russia exercised its veto power today in an effort to protect Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, unjustified and unconscionable war in Ukraine. But let me make one thing clear, Russia you can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

“You cannot veto the truth,” she continued. “You cannot veto our principles. You cannot veto the Ukrainian people.”

Ukraine President Zelenskyy echoed Thomas-Greenfield’s stance saying Russia is the minority in the UN, voting to veto the resolution.

“As Russia continues to attack Kyiv, the draft resolution is co-sponsored by an unprecedented number of UN Member States. This proves: the world is with us, the truth is with us, the victory will be ours,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter after the meeting.

Ukrainian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Serhiy Shaptala says his country’s air defenses shot down a Russian Ilyushin II-76 aircraft carrying Russian forces. The plane was reportedly shot down near Vasylkiv, a region south of Kyiv.

The aircraft is over 152 feet long, has a wingspan of 165 feet and weighs about 79 tons.

“Tonight we must endure! The fate of the country decides right now,” Zelenskyy said in an address late Friday.

Several Ukrainian cities are now under attack, but Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine “can’t lose the capital.” He called on Ukrainians to stop Russian forces where possible.

“The enemy will use all the forces at his disposal to break our resistance,” he said. “Vile, harsh and not human. That night they will storm Kyiv. We all need to understand what awaits us. Tonight we must endure! The fate of the country decides right now.”

Zelenskyy was on the ground with other government officials in Ukraine earlier Friday, vowing to fight for the country. He posted the below video on his Facebook page, writing “it was a tough but courageous day!”

“We are amazed by your courage, your remarkable courage in standing up against what President Putin is doing,” the White House press secretary said.

“It is not easy to protest in many scenarios, but it’s certainly not easy to protest against the actions of an autocratic leader. And that’s exactly what these protesters are doing.”

Psaki said it was “horrific” and “heart-wrenching” to watch the scenes coming out of Ukraine as Russia attacks major cities and attempts to overtake the capital of Kyiv.

“Our message to the Ukrainian people continues to be that we stand with you, we support you,” Psaki said.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden will have a meeting with his national security team members in Delaware tomorrow, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

Psaki noted that Biden is traveling to Delaware to attend the memorial service of a family member and will still be able to take secure calls there as the White House monitors developments in Ukraine.

“Every president can work from anywhere they are because that is how presidencies are equipped,” Psaki said. “The president has the capacity to make a secure call from anywhere.”

Some 8,500 U.S. troops were placed on ‘heightened alert’ in late January. During a press conference Friday, Kirby said that number is now between 10,000 and 12,000. U.S. troops will be earmarked for NATO territory, he said, adding “some” will be earmarked for the NRF.

How the NRF works:

NATO approves a defense plan, then activates the force (which happened Friday), contributing nations then fill those needs. Therefore, no specific details are available as of Friday in terms of units, timelines or schedules as it relates to U.S. troops.

Kirby said the activation acts as an “additional notice” or warning order to allies who contribute to the NRF. He called the activation “historic.”

Russia had some setbacks:

Friday marked the second day of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. Kirby said Russia “experienced some setbacks” in its initial attack.

“We see clear indications that Ukrainian forces are fighting back and bravely defending their country,” Kirby said.

What’s next?

Kirby said the U.S. will continue to provide additional security assistance to Ukraine.

“How that is going to be done is still being worked out,” he said, noting the contested airspace over Ukraine.

The U.S. has provided several shipments of aid to Ukraine, but Kirby did not detail each due to the current situation.

Kirby acknowledged that Putin’s future intentions remain unclear, saying the goal is to continue to reassure NATO allies and bolster capabilities.

“It’s not entirely clear if Mr. Putin has designs beyond Ukraine,” Kirby said.

For example, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the U.S. will continue to work with Russia regarding the Iran Nuclear Deal.

“It remains in our interests to see to it that Iran is never able to acquire a nuclear weapon,” Price said. “The fact that Russia has now invaded Ukraine should not give Iran the green light to develop a nuclear weapon.”

While Russia’s “brutal” and “unprovoked” invasion into Ukraine has changed the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Russia, the United States “will not stop caring about our own wellbeing.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said diplomacy requires the U.S. to work with countries with which it disagrees.

“Diplomacy around the world requires us to engage with countries even where we have strong disagreements, strong oppositions, strong condemnations,” Psaki said.

Psaki added that it is the responsibility of the U.S. government to act in the best interest of the American people, which includes working with Russia to reduce Iran’s capacity and ability to have a nuclear weapon.

“There’s no question that the achievement of [the Iran Nuclear Deal] would make the world safer,” she said.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said these direct sanctions on Putin comes in united step with U.S. allies to send “a clear message about the strength of the opposition to the actions by [Putin].”

Psaki said the sanctions on Putin have been on the table for sometime and the White House will release more details later today.

A travel ban from the Unites States may be included in the sanction package on Putin and Lavrov.

“In order to avoid putting at risk civilian flights, in the context of actions near the border, the Republic of Moldova, through the Civil Aviation Authority, ordered the closure of the airspace,” the Moldova government tweeted. “Flights to Chisinau will be redirected to Iasi.”

The Canadian government shared the closure Friday, saying “if you need to take a flight, you may travel to Romania by land.”

Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights after Russia began attacking the country. Airspace has also been closed in parts of Russia and Belarus.

A state of emergency was declared in Moldova, as the country expects tens of thousands of refugees from Ukraine, its neighboring country.

Moldova’s President Maia Sandu welcomed the first Ukrainian citizens arriving in her country, reporting 4,000 crossings Thursday.

Sandu tweeted a picture showing temporary placement centers near Palanca and Ocnița.

Price stated that “all options are on the table,” adding that Washington is looking closely at additional options that may apply appropriate pressure on Russia, Putin, and those around him.

“These tactics are classic intimidation. They are synonymous with the Kremlin. They are unacceptable,” Price said.

Price continued stating, “this is not the outcome we wanted.”

“Both are a tragedy for Ukraine; Putin has decided for the people of Russia, not by them,” Price added.

The UN Security Council meeting is set to begin at 3 p.m. ET, watch live here or below:

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will hold the daily press briefing, also scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET.

Watch live on the White House YouTube page or below:

According to Sky News, Morawiecki has also said that Ukrainian refugees can bring their pets with them.

In addition, Minister Obrony Narodowe Mariusz Błaszczak tweeted Friday that the convoy with the ammunition they hand over to Ukraine has already reached their neighbors.

“We support Ukrainians, we stand in solidarity, and we firmly oppose Russian aggression,” Blaszczak tweeted.

Spokesperson Ned Price should begin the briefing momentarily.

“This afternoon, I urged NATO leaders to take immediate action against SWIFT to inflict maximum pain on President Putin and his regime,” Johnson tweeted. The prime minister, who attended the virtual meeting of the leaders, warned Nato that Mr. Putin was “engaging in a revanchist mission to overturn post-cold war order,” according to a No 10 spokesperson.

SWIFT is a network used by banks to send secure messages about transfers of money and other transactions. More than 11,000 financial institutions in nearly 200 countries use SWIFT, making it the backbone of the international financial transfer system.

Johnson told the leaders, “the UK would introduce sanctions against President Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov imminently, on top of the sanctions package the UK announced yesterday,” bringing the government in line with measures announced by the EU.

“The UK will introduce sanctions against Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov imminently, on top of the sanctions package already announced,” Johnson added in the tweet.

The briefing is set to start at 1:45 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on the State Department website and YouTube channel.

Zelenskyy said the pair discussed strengthening sanctions, concrete defense assistance and an anti-war coalition.

“Grateful to the U.S. for the strong support to Ukraine!” he tweeted.

Biden announced a new round of sanctions against Russia Thursday, including cutting off $1 trillion in Russian assets from U.S. banks, blocking four other major banks, cutting off more than half of Russia’s high-tech imports, prohibiting Russia’s largest state-owned enterprises from doing business in the U.S. and impairing the capability to finance and grow the Russian military.

Zelenskyy again pushed for harsher sanctions from the West as he spoke with several Western leaders Thursday into Friday.

“Not all possibilities for sanctions have been exhausted yet,” Zelenskyy told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “The pressure on Russia must increase.”

Zelenskyy also spoke with the Presidents of France, Canada, Poland, U.K. and Finland, among others.

He said the citizens, troops and government officials are ready to protect Ukrainian independence.

“We are all here defending our Independence, our state,” he said. “It will continue to be so. Glory to our defenders! Glory to Ukraine!”

This video comes after reports the president had fled the capitol. Zelenskyy has said he will remain in Ukraine during Russia’s invasion.

Zelenskyy has received an outpour of support online for the video, including from European Council President Charles Michel.

“Deep respect to President Zelenskyy and the brave people of Ukraine,” Michele said in a tweet. “The spirit of a free and democratic Ukraine is strong.”

The EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted a sanctions package Friday, which included freezing the assets of the two Russian leaders, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics tweeted.

Rinkevics said the council is preparing another package of sanctions.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he will also introduce sanctions against Putin and Lavrov, Reuters reports.

Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden said imposing personal sanctions against Putin is still “on the table.”

The move is the latest effort among several Western countries to stop Russia’s invasion as the US, EU, Australia and Japan announced new sanctions against Russia.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, enabled by Belarus. We call on Russia to immediately cease its military assault, to withdraw all its forces from Ukraine, and to turn back from the path of aggression it has chosen.”

In the statement, NATO officials also said that Russia bears full responsibility for the conflict with Ukraine.

“Russia bears full responsibility for this conflict. It has rejected the path of diplomacy and dialogue repeatedly offered to it by NATO and Allies. It has fundamentally violated international law, including the UN Charter,” the statement added.

NATO continued the statement by standing firm with Ukraine and offering condolences for all those who were killed, injured, and displaced due to Russia’s aggression.

“We stand in full solidarity with the democratically elected president, parliament, and government of Ukraine and with the brave people of Ukraine who are now defending their homeland. Our thoughts are with all those killed, injured, and displaced by Russia’s aggression and with their families,” the statement said.

“In light of Russia’s actions, we will draw all the necessary consequences for NATO’s deterrence and defence posture.”

“We stand united to protect and defend all Allies. Freedom will always win over oppression,” NATO concluded in the statement.

Global oil prices topped more than $100 a barrel in trading Thursday, the first full day of Russia’s invasion.

Data released by the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators show 13 European countries that depend on gas from Russia, including three exclusively.

Germany is reliant on Russia for nearly half of its gas and France receives about a quarter of its supply from Russia.

Here’s a breakdown:

The data shows North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova are completely reliant upon Russia for gas. Finland and Latvia are 94% and 93% reliant, respectively. Bulgaria 77%, Germany 49%, Italy 46%, Poland 40% and France 24%. Netherlands 11%, Romania 10% and Georgia 6%. Ukraine has purchased its gas from the EU since 2015.

On Tuesday, Germany announced it would halt certification of Nord Stream 2, the $11 billion dollar pipeline connecting Russian and European gas lines via Germany. President Joe Biden directed his administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, the company behind the pipeline, and its corporate officers Wednesday.

Biden says the U.S. is taking steps to limit the pain at the pump, warning prices will be impacted amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

The Defence of Ukraine said that since the beginning of the open large-scale invasion of the territory of Ukraine, 2,800 Russian troops have lost their lost lives along with up to 80 tanks, 516 armored combat vehicles of various types, ten aircraft, and seven helicopters.

“We are strong! Victory for us,” the Defence of Ukraine added.

President Xi reportedly told Putin to reject the “Cold War mentality,” according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Xi also supported Russia resolving the crisis through negotiations with Ukraine.

According to the foreign ministry, Xi emphasized to Putin the importance of respecting “reasonable security concerns of all countries and reach a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through negotiation.”

Part of the statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry:

“He [Putin] noted that the United States and NATO have long turned a blind eye to Russia’s legitimate security concerns, and have repeatedly negated their promises to Russia. Their continued military deployment eastward has challenged Russia’s strategic red line. He also expressed Russia’s willingness to have high-level negotiation with Ukraine.

President Xi noted that the dramatic change of the situation in eastern Ukraine recently has attracted a high level of attention from the international community. China determines its position concerning the Ukrainian issue on its own merits. It is important to reject Cold War mentality, take seriously and respect the reasonable security concerns of all countries and reach a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through negotiation. China supports Russia in resolving the issue through negotiation with Ukraine. China has long held the basic position of respecting all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity, and abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China is prepared to work with other members of the international community to promote common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and to resolutely safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law.”

On a call with leaders of the European Union, Zelensky reportedly said “this might be the last time you see me alive.”

While this was initially reported by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, Zelenskyy’s sentiment was later confirmed by the Swedish Prime Minister.

During a press conference after the call, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said Zelenskyy looked like he was in a bunker or basement during the video call with leaders.

“He told us about the situation in Ukraine,” she said. “When we said goodbye we all knew it was a possibility we’ll never see each other again.”

Zelenskyy said Thursday that he and his family remain in Ukraine amid the violent Russian invasion.

He said during a press conference that Russia has marked him and his family as targets number one and two.

“They want to damage Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state,” he said.

This comes after multiple missile attacks were reported in different areas in Ukraine.

Initially, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko had called on the city’s three million people to stay indoors unless they worked in critical sectors and said everyone should prepare go-bags with necessities such as medicine and documents.

Local news outlet the Kyiv Independent reported that there are casualties and severely injured people, some of them children.

“He went to express his concern over the war,” Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, told Reuters.

In what has been described as “unprecedented departure from protocol,” the 85-year-old Argentinian spent more than half an hour at the embassy discussing the humanitarian situation in Ukraine with the Russian ambassador, Aleksandr Avdeyev.

Avdeyev told Russian state news agency TASS that the Pope wanted to “discuss the situation in Donbas and Ukraine in person,” but refuted media reports from Argentina that suggested the Pope offered help in mediating the crisis.

Typically popes receive ambassadors and heads of state in the Vatican, and diplomatic protocol would have called for the Vatican foreign minister to summon the ambassador, according to the Associated Press.

The Kremlin welcomed Zelenskyy’s proposal to negotiate a non-aligned status for Ukraine as a “move in the positive direction” that needs to be studied, but didn’t say if Putin would agree to the talks.

Later on Friday Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, issued another statement saying that president Putin was willing to send a “diplomatic delegation,” including representatives of the defense and foreign ministries, to meet Ukrainian officials in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

One of the videos, posted by Ukrainian journalist Alexander Khrebet, was recorded from some distance away on a rooftop in the Obolon district of Kyiv and showed the moment the tank crushed the car.

Another video, that has begun circulating on social media, showed members of the public’s attempts to rescue the civilian inside the vehicle. It is unclear whether the man inside was seriously injured.

“The bunkering vessel MILLENNIUM SPIRIT sailing under the Romanian flag was damaged by the Russian ship in 12 miles on the way to the Pivdennyi Seaport in Ukraine,” a statement on the Lieutenant general Valerii Zaluzhnyi’s official Facebook page said.

Zaluzhnyi later posted a correction, stating the vessel was in fact sailing under the flag of Moldova, which is not part of NATO.

It said while the circumstances were being investigated, there was no communication with the ship at the time of posting. The Facebook post included two photos purportedly of the damaged vessel.

If confirmed, this would be the second such incident in the past two days, since Russia launched its Ukraine offensive.

On Thursday, a Turkish-owned ship was hit by a bomb off the coast of Ukraine’s port city of Odessa on Thursday, according to a statement from Turkey’s Maritime General Directorate.

Brandishing an AK-47 on camera, he said that Vladimir Putin would be dealt with like a man who has “lost reason.”

“[Vladimir Putin] is just simply mad, he is just simply crazy, he’s just simply evil, to come here to kill Ukrainians,” he said.

“Recently, the situation in eastern Ukraine has been undergoing rapid changes, which attracts increased attention from the international community,” Xi said, according to a readout of the call from Chinese broadcaster CCTV and reported by Russian outlet RIA Novosti.

“China supports the settlement of the problem between Russia and Ukraine through negotiations,” Xi added.

Moscow would be ready for negotiations if Ukraine’s military surrendered, Russian Foreign Minister said on Friday.

Sergei Lavrov said: “We are ready for negotiations at any moment, as soon as the armed forces of Ukraine respond to our call and lay down their arms,” Lavrov was quoted by AFP in its report.

He stated that Putin’s operation’s goal was “openly declared: demilitarisation and de-Nazification.”

“Russian President Vladimir Putin took the decision to conduct a special military operation to demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine so that, freed from oppression, Ukrainians themselves could freely determine their future,” Sergei Lavrov said.

Lavrov also said that “nobody is going to attack people of Ukraine,” despite the UN reporting that at least 25 civilians have been killed by airstrikes, which are known to have hit at least one residential building in Ukraine.

Media crews caught the moment on camera (below).

Explosions sounded before dawn in Kyiv and gunfire was reported in several areas. Russian troops have entered the suburbs.

Social media posts show photos and video footage of the Millerovo air base, about 10 miles from the border of the two countries, set alight.

Kyiv Independent journalist Illia Ponomarenko tweeted on Friday that “a number of enemy aircraft have been destroyed.”

The Ukrainian Emergency Service evacuated 150 residents and reported 8 injured but no fatalities, the Associated Press reported.

“We urge citizens to inform us of troop movements, to make Molotov cocktails, and neutralize the enemy,” the Ukrainian ministry of defense said on social media, urging citizens to build homemade petrol bombs.

The alert came as the ministry said Russian forces appeared to have infiltrated a residential district of Kyiv.

Videos posted on social media showed Russian tanks driving through Obolon, located just north of downtown Kyiv.

The UN has received reports 25 civilians have been killed and 102 injured by “shelling and airstrikes.” It suspects the death toll to be higher.

Eastern European media outlet Nexta has released this map, showing where the battles have been taking place this morning.

At it, Sergei Lavrov said Putin’s troops “will free Ukrainians from Nazism.”

It echoed Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, who told journalists on Thursday that Russia hoped to “cleanse [Ukraine] of Nazis.”

Lavrov suggested Western powers were being hypocritical in condemning Russia’s all-out attack on Ukraine.

Russia had preferred “diplomatic solutions” before invading, he told a reporter from China.

We’ll bring you more on this later.

The images showed one man standing just a few feet away to take a photo, and a car parked about a yard away.

Kharkiv came under heavy bombardment from Russian troops on Friday morning.

Here are a couple of the images. Newsweek has not been able to verify them.

Russia’s defence ministry said it is preventing “nationalistic groups and other terrorist organisations” from using the conflict “to stage a nuclear provocation.”

A more likely reason for Russia taking the nuclear plant?:

The shortest route from Russia to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, is from the north, passing through the abandoned zone around the power plant.

Russian troops entered Kyiv on Friday, coming via Belarus and Chernobyl.

It may have represented the clearest path for Russian forces, with Ukrainian forces reportedly there to detect invasion warning signs, rather than to repel.

“We collect information about the situation along the border” and convey it to Ukraine’s intelligence agencies, Colonel Shakhraichuk told the New York Times in a January 22 report.

Rapid fire blasts could be heard a short while ago in the city, located about 30 miles from the Russian border.

It comes as Russian troops enter Kyiv.

In a tweet in the last hour, he noted “not all possibilities” had been exhausted.

“Not all possibilities for sanctions have been exhausted yet. The pressure on Russia must increase. Said this to [EU chief Ursula von der Leyen],” he tweeted.

Western sanctions, although sizeable, stopped short of removing Russia from the Swift international payments network—a move that would put Russia banking under severe strain.

The U.S., U.K., Poland and other European nations backed the move, but Germany is reportedly among those holding up such a move.

“I am grateful to [von der Leyen] for her decision on additional financial assistance,” Zelenskyy added.

Russian forces appear to have infiltrated a residential district of Kyiv, Ukraine’s defence ministry has confirmed.

Russian tanks can be seen driving through Obolon, located just north of downtown Kyiv, in videos posted on social media.

In the last few minutes, sirens have broken out in Kyiv for the third time today, according to local reports.

On Thursday, U.S. officials told Newsweek Ukraine’s resistance would likely soon be neutralized should Kyiv fall to Russian troops.

“After the air and artillery end and the ground war really starts, I think Kyiv falls in just a few days,” one former senior U.S. intelligence officer said.

“The military may last slightly longer,” the former intelligence officer added, “but this isn’t going to last long.”

Russian forces are bombarding the capital as tanks descend from the north.

“Strikes on Kyiv with cruise or ballistic missiles continued,” Anton Gerashchenko, Ukraine government adviser told reporters via text message Friday, CNN reports.

At least one residential block is known to have been hit in the attacks.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin’s troops are understood to be heading toward the city from the Chernobyl zone, about 80 miles north of Kyiv, via Belarus.

Clashes are reported between the Russian tanks and Ukraine soldiers in Ivankov. The Ukrainian military blew up a bridge near the town to stop Russian advancement, reports say.

Meanwhile, Ukraine sources say Russia landed operations in the city of Pavlovka, which is about three hours away from Kyiv.

Ukraine reports its defense has been strong and unwavering. The Minister of Defense says Ukraine has taken down seven aircraft units, six helicopters, more than 30 tanks and 130 armored vehicles.

Ukraine’s fight did not go with casualties as well. At least 137 Ukrainians, soldiers and civilians, have lost their lives, Ukraine President Zelenskyy said in a video message.

He also said nearly 316 people have been wounded defending Ukraine.

“Let those who gave their lives for Ukraine be remembered forever,” Zelenskyy said.

“Ukrainian forces have presented fierce resistance across all of Russia’s advance,” the ministry said.

Even with this development, however, the ministry noted that the Russian military did make significant headway in a number of areas as the invasion crossed into its second full day.

“Russian forces have likely captured the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant,” the ministry said. “Workers have reportedly been detained by Russian troops.”

Despite the military advancements, the ministry did add that: “The Ukrainian Armed Forces have reportedly halted Russia’s advance towards Chernihiv. Fighting probably continues on the outskirts of the city.”

The United Kingdom is one of a number of countries that have imposed sanctions against Russia in the aftermath of the invasion.

Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to Ukraine President Zelenskyy, compared the current attack to Ukraine’s struggle in WWII when virtually all of Ukraine fell to Germany’s control.

“Our capital was bombed at such a time and in such a way twice in history,” Podoliak said. “Just like in 1941, now the attacker can only get the hatred of the people and nothing more.”

Similar to WWII Western leaders are concerned that Ukraine could fall to Russia.

The video was posted online late Thursday night. The footage shows the crying daughter being comforted by her father, who is also in tears. The pair are seen sharing an emotional moment as the father prepares his daughter to get on a bus, apparently to flee the country.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered that all men aged 18 to 60 were no longer allowed to leave the country as the Russians continued advancing.

Kyiv locals captured videos of fiery debris falling from the sky some allegedly striking an apartment building in the area.

Sources say Ukraine’s air defense systems shot down a Russian aircraft causing it to crash into the building, setting it ablaze.

There are reports of a second apartment building on fire from burning debris.

Three people were injured, one in critical condition, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Japan and Australia had both previously announced restrictions in an effort to deter further action from Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Friday morning, these countries doubled down, stating that they would enact an additional tranche of sanctions.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that, in addition to direct penalties against Russia, he would also be sanctioning 300 Russian lawmakers who had voted to attack Ukraine.

Japan announced similar sanctions, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida saying: “It is an extremely serious situation with ramifications for the international order, not just in Europe but Asia and beyond.”

New Zealand, meanwhile, also announced their first slate of moves to try and quell the advance of Russian invasion. This includes banning Russian military exports and restrictions on Russian officials heading to New Zealand, the Wall Street Journal reported.

New Zealand does not have an independent sanctions law to use against Russia, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that additional restrictions could be implemented in the future.

In the five second video, the first frame captures one of two reported Russian warships, Moskva and Vasily Bykov, as they circled around the island in an attempt to get the Ukrainians to surrender.

A loud bang is then heard in the next moment as the ship begins opening fire. The soldier then drops to the ground and shouts an expletive as the video ends.

In the aftermath of the attack, audio files emerged of the radio conversation between Ukrainians on the island and the Russian warships.

When prompted by the Russians to surrender, the Ukrainians replied: “Russian warship, go f**k yourself.”

Officials noted that, in spite of the attack from the Russians, the tiny island of approximately 30 people served little strategic advantage.

Ukrainian journalists are reporting “loud explosions” in Kyiv.

“Strikes on Kiev with cruise or ballistic missiles have just continued,” Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko said.

Reports say Ukraine’s air defense systems reportedly shot down missiles fired by Russia towards Ukraine’s capital.

This comes after reports of Russian troops closing in on the capital after sieging surrounding cities.

“The next few days, weeks, and months will be hard on the people of Ukraine,” Biden said on Twitter Thursday night. “Putin has unleashed a great pain on them.”

“But the Ukrainian people have known 30 years of independence — and they have shown that they will not tolerate anyone who tries to take their country backwards,” the president said.

During a prior statement, the president said that “America stands up to bullies.”

“We stand up for freedom,” Biden added. “That’s who we are.”

The statements follow a new round of sanctions against Russia being implemented by Biden. These include limitations on Russian exports that the president said are designed to “impose severe cost on the Russian economy both immediately and over time.”

“We have purposefully designed these sanctions to maximize the long-term impact on Russia and to minimize the impact on the United States and our allies,” President Biden said while announcing the sanctions.

Biden noted that the current sanctions had already had caused the ruble, Russia’s official currency, to hit its weakest level in its history.

Ukrainian military intelligence suggested that Friday’s barrage of attacks will include airstrikes, ground-based assaults, and an overall encircling of Ukrainian territory, according to reports.

Russian military troops are also expected to penetrate deeper into Ukrainian territory. The news comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv is expected to fall to Russian invaders.

As the siege continues, at least 137 people have died and hundreds more were wounded, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement. Zelenskyy added that a number of “enemy sabotage groups” had also entered the country and were prepared to bolster the current Russian invasion.

As military convoys take surrounding cities under siege, Russian military convoys are getting closer to Kyiv.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “all evidence suggests that Russia intends to encircle and threaten Kyiv,” and “Moscow has developed plans to inflict widespread human rights abuses – and potentially worse – on the Ukrainian people.”

Blinkin did not elaborate on what “potentially worse” might mean for Ukraine.

Although President Biden said that the U.S. and its allies will impose sanctions on Russia, NASA says they will try to make it work on the International Space Station.

“It will degrade their aerospace industry, including their space program,” Biden said in a White House address outlining new sanctions Thursday.

NASA released a statement saying U.S.-Russia civil space will continue to cooperate.

The president added that Russian “saboteurs” had entered the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. A curfew for all residents of the city has been enacted, and Zelenskyy urged citizens of Kyiv to stay indoors and seek shelter.

Zelenskyy further described himself as the “number one enemy” of the Russian people.

During a followup television address to the Ukrainian people, the president said that Russia, along with its president, Vladimir Putin, was acting in the same way that Adolf Hitler did when he invaded Poland, triggering World War II. Zelenskyy added that Ukrainians were engaged in “heavy fighting fending off attacks in Donbas in the east in the north and in the south” and urged all Ukrainians who were able to join the fight to do so.

“The enemy has sustained heavy casualties and they will be even heavier … they came to our land,” Zelenskyy warned Russia.

Kyiv may fall victim to a further attack at approximately 8 p.m. ET, or the middle of the night in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian news source The Kyiv Independent.

The report follows an estimation from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that “all evidence suggests that Russia intends to encircle and threaten Kyiv.”

“Moscow has developed plans to inflict widespread human rights abuses – and potentially worse – on the Ukrainian people,” Blinken said Thursday.

Other cities could be attacked overnight in Ukraine, according to the Kyiv Independent news site.

“The President has designated the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the lead Federal agency to coordinate domestic preparedness and response efforts related to the current Russia-Ukraine crisis,” the DHS said in a statement. “While there are no specific threats to the homeland at this time, DHS is taking appropriate steps to ensure Federal efforts are coordinated should the need arise.”

“DHS has established a Unified Coordination Group (UCG) to ensure unity of effort across the Federal Government in preparing for and responding to possible threats to the homeland; develop and pursue strategic objectives and priorities; and coordinate with Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials, as well as representatives of the private sector and nongovernmental entities in support of these objectives and priorities,” the statement continued. “As the situation continues to evolve, organizations – regardless of size – are encouraged to improve both their physical and cyber resilience.”

The DHS website also provided a link to a webpage with information on staying safe from cyber attacks.

“Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which has been accompanied by cyber-attacks on Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure organizations, may have consequences for our own nation’s critical infrastructure,” the webpage said.

The DHS urged anyone who fears they may be the victim of a cyber attack or hacking to contact the authorities.

Families, including seniors and children, are huddling in the freezing underground stations in two of Ukraine’s largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv.

With temperatures being an icy 35 degrees outside, photos of packed subway show civilians bundled up with hats, coats and blankets.

Many of those seeking shelter underground had only backpacks and small luggage.

A 29-year-old Ukrainian citizen communicated with Newsweek via WhatsApp from Kharkiv, Ukraine who said she is now in one of the underground metro station-turned-bomb shelters.

“At the moment the safest place is underground. [N]ow, it’s not safe to go out at all and as we see on our official news and the direction of the Russian border, they want to make their land corridor to the Crimea that they invaded and escalated,” she said.

Social media posts noted that, while tickets for the often-controversial standup were listed at 30 percent off, seats for his show are still very much available.

One fan posted a notice on Twitter that appeared to be from the show’s production team.

“Dear attendants, Louis C.K. performance will take place, as planned, on February 25 and 26, 2022,” the notice said. “Tickets for Louis C.K. show purchased earlier remain valid for new dates and do not require an exchange.”

If they go ahead as expected, the shows will be the comedian’s first in Ukraine.

Psaki’s remarks came during a press briefing on the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Psaki added that U.S. troops in neighboring European countries will assist them in bringing in refugees as well.

As it stands, Ukrainian refugees will be allowed to enter the European Union without a visa. The neighboring nations of Poland, Moldova, Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary have all committed to welcoming in refugees.

Psaki added that U.S. troops in these countries will also help facilitate the flow of refugees.

As the invasion from Russia goes forward, reports of thousands of people attempting to flee the country continue to come in.

“We estimate that more than 100,000 must have already moved out of their homes in Ukraine seeking safety in other parts of the country,” United Nations Refugee Chief Filippo Grandi said. “We are particularly worried about displacement - about people on the move.”

Grandi said that the humanitarian crisis arising from the invasion would be “devastating.”

Citigroup is attempting to sell off its business to another entity within Russia. However, so far, the only reported bidder has been Russian state-run bank VTB - one of the financial institutions hit with sanctions by President Joe Biden.

The financial giant has approximately $5.5 billion of assets in Russia, which, while significant, represented only 0.3 percent of Citigroup’s worldwide assets.

Citigroup previously put its Russian business up for sale this past April in an attempt to exit the international market. VTB executives then confirmed in September that they had extended an offer to Citigroup.

The sanctions on VTB, which greatly limit the degree to which the Russian bank can conduct business with U.S. companies, could put an end to the deal for the foreseeable future, according to financial analysts. This could significantly impact Citigroup, which, while having a small amount of Russian assets, is the most-exposed U.S. lender in Russia, according to research from JPMorgan Chase.

The humanitarian consequences on civilian populations will be devastating,” Grandi said. “There are no winners in war, but countless lives will be torn apart.”

Grandi said civilian lives and civilian infrastructure should be protected and safeguarded at all times. He announced that the UN is working with bordering countries to place refugees.

“UNHCR is also working with governments in neighboring countries, calling on them to keep borders open to those seeking safety and protection,” Grandi said in a statement. “We stand ready to support efforts by all to respond to any situation of forced displacement.”

The defenders of the sparsely-populated island, which is owned by Ukraine, were reported to have been killed by the Russians after refusing to surrender.

Full details of the attack are not yet known. However, in response to a request to surrender from circling Russian warships, the Ukrainian defensive forces reportedly said: “Russian warship, go f**k yourself.”

Following this encounter, two Russian ships, the Moskva and Vasily Bykov, began bombarding the island. The island was then captured by Russian forces a short time later.

President Zelenskyy said all 13 soldiers who had died would posthumously be given the Hero of Ukraine Medal.

Ukrainian officials noted that, despite the attack from Russian forces, Zmiinyi Island carried little strategic value.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine also announced that its Rapid Reaction Brigade shot down three out of 34 Russian helicopters.

Simultaneously, the ministry said Ukraine guards launched an artillery strike at the airport where Russian aircrafts landed.

The confirmed death toll was revealed in an update on the invasion from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Images of significant amounts of violence continue to surface as Russian forces continue to push into Ukraine from the east. Various videos show fireballs raining down from the sky, along with artillery shelling, bombing, and gunfire.

Russia has currently launched at least 160 missiles, the U.S. believes, with more casualties expected in the near future.

“The enemy’s sabotage forces have entered the capital. Me and my family are remaining,” Zelensky said.

Ukrainian troops have been moved to defend the capital, according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

“Certain forces and means were transferred to the defense of the city of Kyiv,” the ministry tweeted.

Earlier reports said that Russian forces had successfully captured the military airport, but the defense ministry tweeted a statement Thursday afternoon that Ukrainian forces still held control over the base.

Ukrainian forces prevented Russia’s air enforcements from landing at the airport, and the fight is still ongoing, said the tweet, which was attributed to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar.

If the airport, which is just 15 miles west of Kyiv and near Hostomel, were to fall to Russia, it could be a key loss for Ukraine since it could help Russia launch an attack on Kyiv.

“I’m worried about the people very much, I’m worried to tears,” Korolyov resident Zoya Vorobey told the Associated Press.

More than 1,700 people were detained in at least 50 Russian cities by Thursday night, the AP reports. Nearly 1,000 were detained in Moscow alone.

Thursday, warnings were issued by Russia’s Investigative Committee as a reminder that unauthorized protests are against the law, according to the AP.

Tens of thousands of Russians signed letters and online petitions against the violence. One petition started by Lev Ponomavyov, a prominent human rights advocate, gathered nearly 340,000 signatures by Thursday night.

The petition demands an immediate ceasefire by the Russian Armed Forces and announces the formation of an anti-war movement.

“We appeal to all sane people in Russia, on whose actions and words something depends,” the petition translates. “Become part of the anti-war movement, oppose the war.”

“[Vladimir Putin] can’t feed his people,” said Tuberville. “It’s a communist country, so he can’t feed his people, so they need more farmland.”

“For 80 years, Americans have sacrificed to bring security and peace to the European continent. The events of the past 24 hours underscore that it is time for Europe to contribute more to its own security. The United States should support Ukraine and provide assistance to Ukraine’s military through weapons and funding for emergency equipment while leveling tough and targeted sanctions to halt Russian escalations and cripple Russia’s economy.”

Tuberville added that allies and adversaries across the globe “must be left with no doubt about our strength and resolve.”

The Ukraine account asked Twitter to remove the official Russia government account from the platform.

“No place for an aggressor like Russia on Western social media platforms,” Ukraine said. “They should not be allowed to use these platforms to promote their image while brutally killing the Ukrainian people.”

Russia does appear to have responded publicly to the tweet.

A real-time map from Flightradar24, a Swedish site that tracks commercial flights across the world, showed planes traveling in countries surrounding Ukraine, but none inside the nation. The airspace above parts of western Russia was also shown to be devoid of commercial aircrafts.

Ukraine has closed its airspace for civilian flights because of the “high risk” amid Russia’s ground and air assault. Russia has done the same along its western border with Ukraine and Belarus.

The Federal Aviation Administration also announced Thursday that it was expanding its no-fly zone to include all of Ukraine and Belarus, as well as a part of western Russia.

Head of Lviv regional customs Daniil Menshikov posted the “urgent” message on Facebook late Thursday.

“An urgent message!! To the attention of citizens!! Due to the military state, men - citizens of Ukraine, aged 18 to 60 will not be released outside our state,” the post translates.

“Please do not create panic and do not try to cross the border on your own! Victory is upon us! Glory to Ukraine!”

The country began enlisting reservists between the ages of 18 and 60 on Wednesday according to the country’s armed forces, Reuters reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would introduce the conscription of reservists Tuesday, but said there would not be a general mobilization, the outlet added.

Sixty-two organizations and entities are targeted in the new measures, which include cancelling all export permits for Russia and rejecting all new applications, government officials said during a news conference.

No Canadian aerospace, technology or mineral goods will be sent to Russia either, according to Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly

“We call on Russia to stop its attack immediately,” Joly said. “This madness has to stop.”

At least 169 people have been injured as Russia continues its invasion into Ukraine.

According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have moved within Ukraine to try and avoid the violence.

“There has been significant displacement inside the country – it seems that more than 100,000 people have moved within the borders fleeing the violence for safety,” Matthew Saltmarsh, a spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency said. “And there have been movements towards and across international borders. But the situation is still chaotic and evolving fast.”

The outlined measures, which must be legally authorized and published before going into effect, take aim at the country’s financial, energy and transport sectors. They also add restrictions on exports and financing and tack more Russian individuals on the existing sanctions list.

The forthcoming sanctions are only one package out of a host of economic measures announced around the world today.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Joe Biden also outlined sanctions Thursday aimed at chipping away at Russia financially as the nation’s forces make their way toward the Ukrainian capital.

Biden told reporters that it’s “always an option,” just not the one the White House is opting to take right now.

SWIFT, which stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, is a Belgium-headquartered cooperative society for financial institutions. Overseen by major state banks like the U.S. Federal Reserve System and Bank of England, it does not transfer funds for patrons, but serves as a secure messaging system.

More than 200 countries and territories, as well as 11,000 financial institutions, are linked through SWIFT, according to its website.

If Russia were to be kicked out of SWIFT, it would be blocked off from most global financial transactions across the world. This includes oil and gas production profits, which make up 40 percent of Russia’s revenue, NBC reported.

“It’s not a bluff, it’s on the table,” Biden said during a press conference Thursday. Biden would not elaborate further, including why those sanctions would not be imposed now.

He made the remarks after announcing another round of sanctions against Russia, including cutting off $1 trillion in Russian assets from U.S. banks.

During the press conference, Biden was asked what it would take to stop Putin from further aggression, as repeated threats of sanctions did not deter military action. Biden said threating sanctions and imposing sanctions are “two different things.”

“Now… he’s going to begin to see the effect of the sanctions,” Biden said. “It will so weaken his country that he’ll have to make very, very difficult choices.”

The U.S. sanctions target two state-owned banks – Belinvestbank and Bank Dabrabyt – as well as Belarus’ defense and security industries and defense officials, the U.S. Treasury said.

In addition, they target Aliaksandr Mikalaevich Zaitsau, a former Belarusian government official and a member of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s inner circle, the department added.

During a press conference Thursday morning, Oksana Markarova, the Ukraine Ambassador to the U.S., said the Russians have also struck hospitals.

“Make no mistake, it’s not a military operation,” she said. “It’s a war against Ukraine.”

Markarova said a Russian platoon surrendered to Ukraine forces because they didn’t know they were brought into the country to kill civilians.

“They didn’t know that they were brought to Ukraine to kill Ukrainians,” she said. “They thought they were doing something else.”

Ukrainian forces shot down two Russian helicopters just outside of the capitol and took out seven other Russian aircrafts and several other trucks.

Markarova also said Kyiv is “fully in control” and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other senior officials remain in Ukraine.

She called for world leaders to issue more sanctions on Russia, but added that Ukraine does not “expect anyone to fight for us.”

“It will end with Ukraine winning this,” she said. “Because we are in our home. We are defending our home. We never attacked anyone.”

The State Department expelled Minister Counselor Sergey Trepelkov, the Associated Press reports. The State Department informed the Russian Embassy of the decision on Wednesday.

The expulsion is in retaliation to Russia expelling the second-ranking U.S. diplomat in Moscow, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Bart Gorman, in mid-Feb.

The move was “a direct response to the unprovoked Russian expulsion of our deputy chief of mission,” a senior State Department official told the Associated Press.

The expulsion comes as Russia invaded Ukraine late Wednesday.

Biden also said that Putin has “larger ambitions” in Ukraine that include reestablishing the former Soviet Union, which Ukraine had been part of before the USSR’s disbandment.

The sanctions include cutting off $1 trillion in Russian assets from U.S. banks, blocking four other major banks, cutting off more than half of Russia’s high-tech imports, prohibiting Russia’s largest state-owned enterprises from doing business in the U.S. and impairing the capability to finance and grow the Russian military.

“That means every asset they have in America will be frozen,” Biden said.

Biden said that he gave the green light for the “deployment of ground and air forces stationed in Europe to the eastern flank” and for “additional US force capabilities to deploy to Germany as part of NATO’s response.” But he clarified that U.S. troops are not being sent to Europe to fight within Ukraine’s borders, but to help defend NATO.

He also promised that the U.S. is trying to shelter Americans from rising gas prices and taking “active steps” to bring down gas costs.

Putin’s aggression against Ukraine “will end up costing Russia dearly, economically and strategically,” Biden said.

“Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war,” he said.

The full text of Biden’s speech on Russia can be read here.

“You heard the speech he made,” Biden said, referring to Putin’s lengthy television broadcast aired on Monday evening in Russia. “And almost an hour for the speeches why he was going into Ukraine. He has much larger ambitions in Ukraine. He wants to, in fact, reestablish the former Soviet Union. That’s what this is about.”

Biden added that such a move, as well as the invasion of Ukraine, will end up costing Putin “dearly.” And while it was a dangerous choice for the Russian president to make, both for his country and for Europe, “freedom will prevail.”

“I know this is hard and Americans are already hurting,” Biden said during a press conference Thursday. “I will do everything in my power to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump, this is critical to me.”

He also warned U.S. companies against profiting from the situation.

“American oil and gas companies should not exploit this moment to hike their prices to raise profits,” Biden said.

The U.S. is closely monitoring energy supplies for any disruptions and coordinating with major oil producing and consuming countries to secure global energy supplies.

“To elevate collective release from the strategic petroleum reserves of major energy consuming countries,” Biden explained. He added the U.S. may release oil as conditions warrant.

“This aggression cannot go unanswered,” Biden said. “America stands up to bullies, we stand up for freedom. This is who we are.”

He also said that the U.S. and other countries will make sure that “Putin will be a pariah on the international stage.”

Other countries associated with Russia and its actions “will be stained by association,” Biden said.

“Every asset they had in America will be frozen,” Biden said.

The sanctions also include export limits, prohibiting Russia’s largest state-owned enterprises from doing business in the U.S. and cutting off more than half of Russia’s high-tech imports, among other measures.

He said that he and other G7 leaders were in complete agreement about imposing limits on Putin.

“We will limit Russia’s ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds and yen,” he said.

Biden said that Putin “rejected every good faith effort the United States and our allies and partners made to address our mutual security concerns through dialogue to avoid needless conflict and avert human suffering.”

“Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war,” Biden said.

“For weeks, we have been warning that this would happen,” Biden said during a press conference Thursday. “And now it’s unfolding largely as we predicted.”

Biden called the attack unprovoked, unjustified and pre-meditated, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin has been planning the invasion for months.

Biden said Putin’s intentions were clear, referring to the 175,000 Russian troops massed along Ukraine’s border as well as the blood supply and field hospitals Russia has built.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleaded for peace in an overnight speech, delivered partially in Russian. He also imposed martial law in the country.

Air raid sirens went off in Ukraine’s capital as traffic crawled along the outskirts of the city.

Others rushed to bus and train stations around Kyiv to evacuate. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said if diplomacy fails, Ukraine will fight for its land.

“Fight for every inch of our land and every city and every village,” Kuleba said during a press conference Tuesday.

Russian troops arrived at the base earlier Thursday, but ongoing fighting spurred hopes that Ukrainian forces may be able to hold control of the airport.

The fall of the Antonov Airport, which is just 15 miles west of Kyiv and near Hostomel, could be a key loss for Ukraine since it could help Russia launch an attack on the Ukrainian capital.

Three U.S. officials told Newsweek that they expect Kyiv to fall to Russia in the coming days.

From London to Berlin, Paris to Beirut, demonstrators are calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his military march into Ukraine and prevent a war.

Protesters waved Ukrainian flags while chanting “stop Putin, stop the war.” People held signs reading “Putin Stop War” and “Stand With Ukraine.”

The malware activated a day before, the Associated Press reported. Cybersecurity researchers said the malware infected hundreds of computers, including some in neighboring Latvia and Lithuania.

The attacks appears to have been in preparation for as much as three months, researchers said.

Ukraine has been a target for cyberattacks for a week. It was hit with a denial-of-service attack that continued to keep government websites offline Wednesday and cause sporadic internet outages across the country, Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for the U.S. network management firm Kentik Inc, told AP.

The U.S. and its allies were quick to blame the denial-of-service attacks on Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency. Denial-of-service attacks flood websites with junk data, rendering them unreachable.

Ukraine’s internet was “under severe stress presently,” Madory said.

Measures in place to block the attacks were successful, as the Ukraine defense and interior ministries’ websites were functioning Thursday.

Some Russian websites were also under attack. The military and Kremlin sites, hosted by the Russia Sate internet Network, were unreachable or slow to load.

Ukraine and NATO leaders have warned for months that Russia may use cyberattacks as a precursor for invasion. Such attacks were a key Russian tool against Ukraine in 2014 and against Estonia in 2007 and Georgia in 2008.

The statement also offered the first formal confirmation from the Russian Defense Ministry that Russian ground forces had moved into Ukraine from Crimea. Previously, it only confirmed air and missile strikes on air bases, air defense batteries and other military facilities.

Igor Konashenkov, a ministry spokesperson, said that the Russian ground troops have moved toward the city of Kherson, which is northwest of Crimea.

Kara-Murza’s comments came after Russian President Putin authorized troops to invade Ukraine.

Vladimir Kara-Murza is a Russian opposition politician who serves as vice-chairman of Open Russia, which promotes civil society and democracy in Russia.

Kara-Murza’s comments came after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized troops to invade Ukraine.

“This is not Russia’s war. This is not our war. This is yet another adventure by the bloodthirsty and deranged Kremlin dictator by the name of Vladimir Putin,” Kara-Murza told CNN’s John Berman.

Repa was born in the Donetsk region and was attending Donetsk National University during the conflict in 2014.

“We began to see Russian separatist troops on the street and hear gunfire near our university dorms,” Repa said.

“When you have packed all your belongings under the watch of soldiers, you understand how it feels to have your life in someone else’s hands. In this case, I understood what it’s like to live in fear like an animal. I was an intelligent and creative woman, but when people are next to you holding guns, you feel as though you are nothing.”

She relocated to Kyiv, where her business BetterMe is based. Repa hears constant concerns from her employees about losing their jobs amid tensions between the two countries. There are 200 employees based in the Kyiv office.

“Though we are seeing no physical changes to the city of Kyiv, there is panic and mental pressure,” Repa said at the time of the interview. “I have seen many people trying to relocate or taking vacation abroad to relieve the stress of the situation. And, no one can concentrate on their work. Everyone is focused on the news and everyone is afraid.”

Several reporters said on social media that the troops had seized control, one citing Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to office of the Ukrainian president.

The condition of the plant was unknown, according to Podoliak.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted earlier Thursday that Russian forces were trying to seize the plant and called it a “declaration of war.”

Russian forces have fired more than 100 missiles at targets in Ukraine Wednesday night, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Thursday.

The missiles from Belarus, Russia and the sea hit airports and other military targets, including nearly 10 airfields. The U.S. estimates that about 75 Russian fixed-wing aircrafts, including a bomber, were involved.

“What we are seeing are the initial phases of a large-scale invasion,” the official said.

The main axis of assault are from southern Belarus, northern Crimean and from the northeast to Kharkiv.

Russia is “making a move on Kyiv,” the official said, and has “every intention of basically decapitating the government and installing their own method of governance.”

“We have not been surprised so far with what we have seen them do,” the official said. “It is very much in line with what was expected.”

While addressing the House of Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that it would be the “largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever seen.”

The sanctions package will, overall, impose asset freezes on more than 100 entities and individuals “on top of the hundreds that we’ve already announced,” Johnson said.

“We will continue on a remorseless mission to squeeze Russia from the global economy piece by piece, day by day and week by week,” Johnson said.

U.K. allies like the U.S. are taking similar measures against Russia, Johnson said.

“By breaking his word, by refusing the diplomatic route, by choosing war, President Putin has not only attacked Ukraine,” Macron tweeted Thursday. “He has decided to carry out the most serious attack on peace, on stability in our Europe. To this act of war, we will respond without weakness, with composure, determination and unity.”

The meeting continued for more than one hour, concluding around 10:30 a.m. ET according to the The White House.

Participants included U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The world leaders met hours after Russia invaded Ukraine.

“We will defend any ally against any attack and every inch of NATO territory,” Stoltenberg said Thursday.

The alliance has increased its presence in NATO’s eastern flank with more troops, ships, planes and other military equipment.

Stoltenberg clarified that there are no NATO combat troops in Ukraine and reiterated that these measures are defensive and seek to prevent a conflict, not provoke one.

He maintained the alliance will act on Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty to ensure the principle of collective defense among members and allies.

“An attack on one ally will trigger the response from the whole alliance,” he said.

Ukraine is not part of the alliance but it borders NATO members in eastern Europe, including Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.

NATO members have repeated their firm stance in solidarity with Ukraine and its sovereignty.

Russian officials and prosecutors had warned against unauthorized gatherings in light of the situation with Ukraine, the Moscow Times reported, but that hasn’t completely deterred civilians.

OVD-Info, an independent police-monitoring website, reported nearly 170 detainments as of Thursday afternoon at anti-war rallies across Russian cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg and others.

A video taken in Tyumen, a city located in the Russian region of Siberia, shows a line of what looks to be at least dozens of protestors walking down a street and chanting “No to war!”

People were waving yellow-blue Ukrainian flags and chanting, “We stand united with Ukraine!” On Tuesday evening, they also assembled in front of the building near the German capital’s landmark Brandenburg Gate.

Some held up banners saying “Ukraine will resist,” “Say no to Putin,” or “Implement sanctions immediately.” In contrast, others wrapped themselves in huge Ukrainian flags.

A source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government, who also asked not to be named, agreed with the U.S. assessment that Kyiv could be surrounded within 96 hours. But they did not believe Zelenskyy’s government would collapse.

Asked by Newsweek if the government was confident it could break a possible Russian encirclement, the source said, “I think it’s too early to say…They say Ukraine is holding better than they expected.”

A NATO diplomatic official, who also did not wish to be named as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the subject, told Newsweek of the U.S. assessment: “My personal opinion: unfortunately, it does sound rather believable. However, I think now the first 24 hours are the most critical.”

Crowds of demonstrators had gathered outside the embassy earlier Thursday in solidarity with Ukraine and in protest against Russia, WJLA reported.

Secret Service members and D.C. police began standing watch outside the embassy after the message was discovered.

Police have detained one woman in connection with the incident, NewsNation reported.

The official Kremlin website, Kremlin.ru, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation are among the affected sites. The websites display error messages saying “this page isn’t working.”

There are reports the websites are working in Russia. The issues appear to be for users accessing the sites outside of Russia; however, they are still accessible via VPN. It is unclear why this is occurring.

The issues began hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Several Ukrainian government websites and banks were targeted in a cyberattack Wednesday.

Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said the Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were targeted in a mass DDoS attack.

Fedorov also said the attack was also reported by a number of banks. It follows a similar cyberattack last week.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine forces are “giving their lives” to prevent a repeat of the 1986 tragedy when a nuclear reactor exploded, spreading radioactive waste across Europe.

The nuclear plant is located 80 miles north of the Ukrainian capitol Kyiv on the border of Ukraine and Belarus.

The Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs said an attack on Chernobyl may “cause another ecological disaster.”

Gunfire, artillery shells or missiles that hit the plant could trigger the release of more radioactivity, threatening citizens nearby.

Demonstrators in Russian cities are protesting the invasion of Ukraine.

Small groups of people held signs and chanted “No to war” in Moscow. Similar sights have been witnessed in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk and the Urals city of Yekaterinburg.

Thomas van Linge, who has been reporting on incidents surrounding the invasion of Ukraine, tweeted footage of what he said was a rally in the city of Tyumen. “police are busy arresting everyone before it takes off,” he wrote.

Independent news outlet Meduza also reported that anti-war solo picketers were popping up in cities across Russia.

In Russia, one-person picketers are the only form of protest that does not require the prior approval of the authorities.

“It is reported that the Ukrainian army is using Bayraktari against the Russians,” one Tweet with the video said. Baykar Bayraktar TB2 are Turkish made medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV).

As a part of its military modernization program the Armed Forces of Ukraine acquired 12 Bayraktar TB2s from Turkey in 2019.

The video, however, is misleading.

It is not depicting the current events in Ukraine, but rather Turkey’s military operation in Syria in 2020, Newsweek can confirm.

Several scenes from the video can be observed in a longer version published in March 2020, and also shared on Twitter about the same time. The footage appears to have been digitally flipped across the Y-axis to complicate the process of discovering its provenance via standard image and video verification services.

Take a look at our guide on how to spot misinformation in the conflict…

Russia-Ukraine Misinformation Is Running Rampant—Here’s How to Spot It

Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) posted pictures of two individuals on Thursday on its Twitter page and showed the weapons the soldiers allegedly had on them.

“Press officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Anatoliy Shtefan has published photographs of what appear to be captured Russian soldiers,” the caption said according to a Google translation.

Ukrainian media reported that the helicopters allegedly belong to Russia. Dozens of Ukrainian citizens have been killed following the invasion.

Six U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft are being redeployed as NATO looks to secure its eastern borders.

The aircraft are being moved from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to the Baltic Sea and Black Sea regions “in support of NATO’s collective defense.”

“We are facing a dynamic environment, and the deployment of F-35s to NATO’s eastern flank enhances our defensive posture and amplifies the Alliance’s interoperability,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Force in Europe – Air Forces Africa commander, said in a release.

Mark Warner, the Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman, suggested to Axios on Wednesday night and CBS News early Thursday, that Russian cyberattacks could potentially cause damage outside Ukraine.

“One of the things that I’m gravely concerned about is if Russia unleashes its full cyber power against Ukraine; once you put malware into the wild in a sense, it knows no geographic boundary,” he told CBS News.

Attacks that shutdown electricity supplies, for instance, could affect U.S. troops based in Poland and Romania, Warner added.

“If Russia launched 100 pieces, 1,000 pieces of malware in an attack against NATO or Ukraine, that might bleed into NATO nations, we are in totally unpredictable territory,” he said.

Under NATO’s Article 5 Collective Defense principle, an attack on one member state is considered an attack against all member states.

President Joe Biden has repeatedly said he would not send U.S. troops into Ukraine, warning that doing so could spark World War III.

Biden previously said he will speak to the American public later Thursday “to announce the further consequences” for Russia.

In a rambling speech on Friday, Putin said Russian-backed rebels—the so-called “People’s Republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk—had asked for Russian help against Ukrainian forces, which he accused of breaking a ceasefire.

On Thursday, Putin launched a “special military operation.” Within hours it became clear his ambitions stretch beyond those enclaves. (See our explainer on those disputed regions here).

Ukraine’s state emergency service has reported at least 10 regions are under attack, primarily in the east and south. Shelling is “coming in constantly.”

In recent years, Putin has railed against Ukraine nearing NATO membership.

Putin has also repeatedly undermined Ukraine’s independence, which won in 1991. In his address to the nation this week, Putin said Ukraine was “entirely created by Russia” or, to be more precise, by Bolshevik, Communist Russia.”

As to emphasize Putin’s revanchist view that the borders of Ukraine were malleable, a map broadcast by state-run news channel Russia 24 depicted regions of Russia’s neighbor as “gifts” given by former rulers such as Nikita Khrushchev, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.

Ukraine’s Orthodox Church splitting from the Russian Church has also caused friction between the countries.

A Chinese official has told Newsweek that the issues of Ukraine and Taiwan were entirely separate, but at the same time has stressed that the self-ruling island is a part of China.

“Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory and there is only one China in the world,” Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for Beijing’s embassy in Washington, told Newsweek. “This is an irrefutable historical and legal fact.”

Asked if China saw comparisons in Washington’s approach to sending arms to Kyiv despite Moscow’s protests and offering weapons to Taipei in spite of Beijing’s challenges, Liu said “the Taiwan issue and the Ukraine issue can’t be compared.”

Beijing had forged a “strategic partnership” with Kyiv, though this relationship was dwarfed by the “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era” that has been reached by China and Russia.

Chinese officials have blamed the mounting tensions over Ukraine on a failure to implement the Minsk Agreements signed between Kyiv and rebels in the early stages of the war that broke out in the wake of a 2014 uprising that brought a pro-West government to power.

Zelenskyy denounced Russia’s actions in a Twitter post on Thursday, hours after President Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

“Russia treacherously attacked our state in the morning, as Nazi Germany did in [World War II] years,” Zelenskyy wrote. “As of today, our countries are on different sides of world history.”

Earlier, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had cut diplomatic ties with Moscow.

“Ukraine will not give up its freedom, no matter what Moscow thinks,” he said.

The plane had 14 people on board, and crashed in Zhukivtsi and Trypillya, Obukhiv district—about 30 miles from the capital—Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SESU) said.

Some outlets cited SESU as stating that five Ukrainians on board died. Newsweek could not immediately verify the information about the death toll.

SESU’s Twitter account appears to have been blocked by the platform as of 12.50 p.m. on Thursday, February 24. While its website, along with numerous other Ukraine government websites, was still down following a large-scale cyber attack, it has continued to post updates via its Facebook page.

Moscow stock exchange, the MOEX index, fell 45 percent on Thursday, while the dollar-denominated RTS index slumped more than 40 percent.

Shares in the country’s largest lender Sberbank at one stage losing 57 percent of their value. Energy giant Rosneft, in which BP owns a 19.75 percent stake, plunged as much as 58 percent.

Russia’s currency, the ruble, plunged to a record low against the dollar earlier.

At one point, the ruble was trading at 85 to the dollar, down 4 percent after earlier hitting a new record low of 89.60.

This was the scene a little earlier as air raid sirens rang out in the city.

Russian attack helicopters have reportedly been seen over the skies of the Ukrainian capital.

On the ground, people have been waiting in long lines outside gas stations en route out of the city.

Footage on Twitter shows Russian helicopters near Vyshgorod, about 10 miles from the capital, which is home to about 2.8 million people.

Such a rapid move would come only hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his troops would invade Ukraine.

“Initial reports also indicate that the Ukrainian Airforce Mig-29s are engaging Russian Airforce Su-35s over Kyiv,” tweeted Aurora Intel with the footage.

It was retweeted by investigative website Bellingcat whose founder Elliot Higgins wrote: “As predicted, it looks like the Russian military is aiming to take Kyiv as quickly as possible.”

Last week, British officials released a map outlining how Russia’s forces might move on Ukraine and its capital.

About 5,500 troops arrived in Poland—a NATO member—earlier this month.

“If requested, the XVIII Airborne Corps is prepared to move to the Ukraine-Poland border and support the Department of State with processing, travel support, consular services and medical care to American citizens,” Col. Joseph Buccino, a corps spokesman, told the New York Times via email on Thursday.

Some men, according to reports in Poland, plan to go the other way.

Ukrainian public policy expert Kateryna Kruk reporting: “Polish radio reports that Ukrainian men are actually leaving Poland back to Ukraine to defend their country.”

Anton Gerashchenko said Ukrainian forces took down three helicopters, but some Russian troops landed in the area.

Several unverified videos have been shared on Twitter and some Telegram channels, claiming to be from the Hostomel area.

One video, seen by Newsweek, showed multiple military helicopters passing through the sky, the person filming says he counted “at least 30,” and they are marked with a Russian flag.

Later the NEXTA channel on Telegram shared a video of what it purports is one of the downed Russian military helicopters.

At a fundraising event at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump was heard calling Putin “very smart” for steps ahead the large-scale attack .

The clip (below) was obtained by the Democratic organization American Bridge 21st Century.

Trump has already faced backlash for praising the Russian president earlier this week as attack loomed.

Speaking to The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show on Tuesday, Trump described the pretext for a full Ukraine invasion as “genius” and “very savvy.”

In a statement, he said “Putin has chosen a premeditated war,” and that the “United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”

Biden said he would meet world leaders to discuss “further consequences,” beyond current sanctions, a “needless act of aggression against Ukraine.”

“We will also coordinate with our NATO Allies to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance,” he added.

Video showing the small group was captured by CNN.

The network’s reporter Natasha Bertrand said it showed “there is truly a sense of having no idea what is coming down the pipeline, what is in store for the people of Ukraine in the coming hours, in the coming days.”

Bertrand added: “It is freezing cold here, so to see these people here kneeling here on the cold stone, in prayer, is honestly very moving.”

Follow the story here.

Earlier, Joe Biden said via statement: “The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces.”

Ukraine won its independence from Moscow in 1991, and the neighbors have had a tense relationship since. But things began to escalate in early 2014, when pro-Western protesters in Ukraine overthrew the pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych. With aims on joining the EU, the interim Ukrainian government signs a trade agreement with the bloc. Then in April 2014 Russia invades annexing Crimea, while Russian-backed rebels break away from Ukraine with the so-called “People’s Republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republic. War continues in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with about 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians killed. A ceasefire, under the Minsk Accords, is agreed by 2015. Former comic actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy wins the April 2019 presidential election, promising to tackle corruption and end the war in eastern Ukraine. As Ukraine increasingly looks West, Putin demands “security guarantees,” including that Ukraine will never join NATO. With Ukraine and NATO refusing to kowtow, Putin amasses more than 100,000 troops on the Russia-Ukraine border.

Images shared on social media showed the damage in Ukraine’s cities.

One clip (below) on Twitter showed an apartment block in Chuhuiv, south of Kharkiv, seriously damaged after it was hit in the opening strikes.

More than a dozen salvos have targeted Kyiv—the capital home to about 2.8 million—and there have been reports of similar strikes across the country.

Initial missile strikes caused hundreds of casualties, CNN reports, citing a Ukrainian interior ministry source. It was not immediately clear how many of those were killed.

Ukrainian police said that at least six people has been killed and seven others wounded in a bombing in the city of Podolsk in the southern Odessa region.

In a brief video address (above), he urged: “No panic. We are strong.”

Here is Zelensky’s statement in full:

“Dear Ukrainian citizens, this morning President Putin announced a special military operation in Donbas. Russia conducted strikes on our military infrastructure and our border guards.

“There were blasts heard in many cities of Ukraine. We’re introducing martial law on the whole territory of our country.

“A minute ago I had a conversation with President Biden. The U.S. have already started uniting international support.

“Today each of you should keep calm. Stay at home if you can. We are working. The army is working. The whole sector of defense and security is working.”

“No panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything. We will win over everybody because we are Ukraine.”

Missile strikes and explosions have been reported in major Ukrainian cities Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that “anyone who tries to interfere” will face an “instant” response from Russia—which boasts incredible nuclear power Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin’s Ukrainian counterpart, has declared martial law and urged calm among citizens Western leaders scramble to respond, with U. S. President Joe Biden vowing Russia will be held accountable, and the EU preparing “massive” sanctions. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said it will do what it can to defend allies