Photo: Sergey Dolzhenko / EFE
Through heavy fighting in the streets of Kiev and other cities on Sunday, Ukraine’s defense forces and civilian volunteers resisted the invasion of Russia for the fourth day, fighting for control of the capital as international pressure mounted on Moscow and support for the beleaguered government in Kiev grew, according to The New York Times.
Russian forces shelled Ukraine’s capital Kiev again on Saturday at night, after a day of pitched fights in the city. Most of the more than 76,000 Russian troops that had massed around Ukraine are now fighting inside the country, US officials said.
RAW: Air raid sirens echoed as a day -and-night curfew began in Kyiv, with Russian forces closing in on the Ukrainian capital.
Residents are required to stay indoors till Monday. Authorities said those breaking the curfew will be deemed “members of sabotage groups of the enemy.” pic.twitter.com/AWlb5b3lvQ
— DW News (@dwnews) February 26, 2022
Russia also unleashed a wave of attacks against Ukraine against airfields and fuel facilities in what appeared to be the next phase of an invasion that has been held back by fierce resistance, according to The Associated Press.
The United States and the European Union responded with shipments of arms and ammunition to the outnumbered Ukrainians and powerful sanctions aimed at further isolating Moscow.
Massive explosions lit up the sky early Sunday south of the capital Kiev as people took refuge in houses, garages subways and metro stations in anticipation of a full-scale attack by Russian forces.
The flames rose into the sky before the dawn from an oil depot near an air base in Vasylkiv, where there has been heavy fighting, according to the city’s mayor. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said there was another explosion at Zhuliany civilian airport.
Russian forces killed at least 198 persons, including three children, and 1,115 persons, including 33 children, were injured, according to the National Guard of Ukraine, and an official of the UN said that more than 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled.
Zelenskyy’s office also said that forces Russians blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the hum or covering your windows with a damp cloth or gauze.
“We will fight as long as it takes to liberate our country”, promised Zelenskyy.
“The situation in Kiev is quiet, the capital is completely controlled by the Ukrainian army and defense forces”, said Mykola Povoroznyk, the first deputy head of the Kiev City State Administration , in a statement released shortly before 7 am Kiev time.
Russia suffered significant losses entering the fourth day of its war against Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement that over the course of Saturday he had shot down “at least” helicopters, three Sukhoi Su-30 and two Sukhoi Su- 25 and a second giant Russian transport plane Il-76, which can carry a large number of airborne troops, according to POLITICO.
A Ukrainian citizen clashed with Russian soldiers when he saw an armored vehicle stopped on a rural road in the region of Sumy, near the border with Russia.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees in 4 days
More of 150, Ukrainian refugees have already crossed into neighboring countries, half of them to Poland and many to Hungary, Moldova, Romania and beyond, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Saturday. .
More than 150,000 Ukrainian refugees have now crossed into neighboring countries, half of them to Poland, and many to Hungary, Moldova, Romania and beyond.
Displacement in Ukraine is also growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid.—Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) February 26, 2022
Displacement in Ukraine is also growing, but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate the number and provide aid .
While Russian troops laid siege to Kiev, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine appeared before the chamber on Saturday to offer proof of his continued presence in his nation’s capital, praise his outgunned and outmanned army, and call for international support.
803431As Russian troops lay siege to Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine appeared on camera on Saturday to offer proof of his continued presence in his country’s capital, praise his outgunned and outmanned military and request international support. https://t.co/ZWxbd7NrFh pic.twitter.com/27yTHUnApM— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 25, 2169
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