The battle
\nfor Kyiv was underway all night on Saturday on the third day of the Russian
\ninvasion as the Russian military attacked the Ukrainian capital city from
\nmultiple directions. Bursts of gunfire, multiple explosions and artillery rounds could be heard in and around Kyiv. The Russian troops have the capital
\nsurrounded and are closing in. Heavy fighting was also reported in Melitopol,
\nin the southeast. <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The
\nUkrainian army claims it has successfully repelled attempts to enter the city
\nin the north and the west. According to Ukraine’s State Agency for Special Communications,
\ntwo IL-76 carriers transporting airborne paratroopers were shot down in Vasylkiv
\nand near Tserkva, some 80 km south Kyiv. <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
According
\nto the Kyiv Independent, president Volodymyr Zelensky is personally heading the
\ndefenses of the capital. In a message on social media on Friday night, the president
\ncalled on Ukrainians to stand firm and fight for their country, and accused
\nRussia of targeting civilian infrastructure. According to the Washington Post,
\nthe US government offered to evacuate president Zelensky to prevent him from being killed or captured, but the president refused.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
At the UNSC
\nmeeting Friday night, 50 countries issued a joint statement accusing Russia’s
\nabuse of power in blocking a UN resolution condemning the invasion of Ukraine.
\nChina, India and the UAE abstained. Meanwhile, sanctions continue to pile up,
\nthe US and Canada announcing new sanctions on Russia late on Friday. The United
\nStates will disburse an additional to $350 million in security assistance to
\nUkraine, putting the total over the last year at over $1 billion, the White House
\nhas announced. Previously, president Zelensky had called on the IMF for
\nemergency financial assistance. <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In Romania,
\nthe first NATO response troops have started to arrive. France will deploy 500
\ntroops and staff to Romania after president Emmanuel Macron on Friday announce his
\ncountry will accelerate the deployment of troops to Romania in response to the
\nRussian invasion, AFP reports. NATO has decided to reinforce its presence to
\nsend a very clear sign of strategic solidarity, to position forces in Romania,
\nFrench army chief of staff Thierry Burkhard told RFI and France24. <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Due to the
\nheavy flow of migrants coming in from Ukraine, significant delays are reported
\nin Siret northern crossing border. The authorities have issued a statement
\nadvising immigrants to use alternative border crossings in order to prevent
\nfurther increase in waiting times. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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