Fighting Erupts Across Ukraine As Putin's Military Invades

Street fighting in Kyiv as Russian forces invade Ukraine capital
Gunfire and explosions reported in Kyiv as Ukraine's leader accuses Putin of waging "war against Europe"
Street fighting has broken out in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, as Russian forces advanced on the city and Ukrainian officials urged residents to take shelter.

As dawn broke in Kyiv on Saturday, it was not immediately clear how far the soldiers had advanced. Ukrainian officials reported success in fending off assaults, but fighting persisted near the capital. Skirmishes reported on the edge of the city of nearly three million people suggested that small Russian units were probing Ukrainian defences to clear a path for the main forces.
Saturday marked the third day of a massive land, sea and air invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin in what turned out to be Russia’s biggest military deployment since World War II and has resulted in hundreds of casualties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused an American offer for him to evacuate, insisting that he would stay in Kyiv. “The fight is here,” he said on Saturday.

Zelenskyy renewed assurances that the country’s military would stand up to the Russian invasion and said that claims that the Ukrainian military would put down arms were false.

“We aren’t going to lay down weapons. We will protect the country,” he said. “Our weapon is our truth, and our truth is that it’s our land, our country, our children. And we will defend all of that.”

Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv’s mayor, said on Saturday that Russian troops had so far been prevented from entering the city by Ukrainian forces that included military police, national guards and volunteers.

“Now subversive groups are acting in Kyiv, there were several clashes, firefights,” he said.

“As of 6am, 35 people were wounded, including two children. I ask everyone to keep calm, and stay in shelters. The enemy will attack from the air.”

The street clashes followed Russian strikes that pummelled bridges, schools and apartment buildings.

A missile that struck a residential building in Kyiv on Saturday did not kill anyone, an adviser to the interior minister said. Anton Herashchenko also said Russia was lying about not shelling civilian infrastructure. According to the adviser, at least 40 such sites had been hit and Russian troops were shelling civilian sites.