Russian forces have entered Kyiv and have been threatening the Ukrainian capital from the north-west and east in a lightning assault apparently geared toward seizing town.
The defence ministry in Moscow claimed its forces had taken management of the strategic Hostomel airfield to the north-west after a day of preventing, whereas Russian tanks have been filmed by locals within the Obolon suburb about six miles north of town centre within the morning.
Gunfire might be additionally heard near St Sophia Cathedral, reporters mentioned, creating an more and more tense environment within the capital, which many anticipated would have been higher defended given its apparent strategic significance.
Konrad Muzyka, the president of Rochan Consulting, mentioned the “state of affairs does look dire in the meanwhile” notably concerning Kyiv. “It seems that the principle aim is to take Kyiv, break the C2 [command and control], and ‘decapitate’ the political management.”
Earlier on Friday, Ukraine had mentioned it had retaken the Hostomel airbase north-west of town, which was the goal of a dramatic helicopter assault by the Russian thirty first guards air assault brigade on Thursday afternoon.
But it surely was removed from clear that was definitive, and uncertainty grew as Ukraine’s defence ministry warned earlier on Friday morning there have been Russian forces in north-western Kyiv suburbs to the south of the bottom making ready to assault town.
One of many areas by way of which Russian forces have been attempting to advance of their assault on Kyiv has been by way of the north-western suburbs round Vorzel, Buch and Irpen. Within the early afternoon, Russia claimed it had management of the capital from the west.
Through the preventing on Friday, Ukrainian officers claimed {that a} kindergarten in Vorzel the place 50 kids have been sheltering was hit by Russian hearth, though with out inflicting any casualties.
However, Ukraine’s army mentioned on Friday morning that the harm sustained by the strategic airfield due to the preventing meant that Russian paratroopers needed to land at Gomel, in Belarus, suggesting Moscow’s efforts had been partly repulsed.
Kyiv authorities warned locals within the Obolon district to remain off the streets as a result of “energetic hostilities” have been approaching – suggesting there might be an impending counterattack.
Earlier within the morning, Ukraine’s armed forces urged residents of the district to not depart their properties, and to “make Molotov cocktails” or petrol bombs, whereas the defence ministry mentioned it had distributed 18,000 assault rifles within the capital.
Ukraine’s army additionally warned {that a} group of Russian spies and saboteurs was seen in a district of Kyiv about 3 miles (5km) north of town centre. Video posted on-line by an inside ministry adviser apparently confirmed useless Russian saboteurs who had captured Ukrainian army automobiles and switched uniforms.
Home windows have been blasted out of a 10-storey condominium block close to Kyiv’s essential airport, the place a 2-metre crater full of rubble confirmed the place a shell had struck earlier than daybreak. A policeman mentioned individuals have been injured there however not killed.
Stress was additionally intensifying round Chernihiv, about 90 miles north-east of Kyiv, Ukraine’s army mentioned, with Russian forces attempting to bypass town and head to the capital down the E95 highway to Kozelec and in the end Kyiv’s jap suburbs.
Additional east, about 125 miles from the capital, Ukraine’s army admitted on Friday morning that town of Konotop had been misplaced to Russian forces. Boryspil, the capital’s essential civilian airport, lies to the east of the capital.
The velocity of the Russian advance, regardless of the most effective efforts of Ukraine’s army, caught many abruptly as Russian army forces converged on Kyiv from the north, east and west.
Early on Friday morning, one resident who had evacuated from Kyiv’s metropolis centre described listening to preventing near the principle highway connecting Zhytomyr within the west to the capital and experiences that Russian forces have been attempting to infiltrate from that route.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, mentioned that 137 individuals together with 10 army officers, had been killed. An adviser mentioned about 400 Russian forces had died, whereas the British mentioned the determine was 450. Moscow has given no casualty depend. The loss of life toll couldn’t be independently verified.
Ukraine’s forces have been believed to be holding agency within the in jap Donbas area, based on Rochan Consulting, whereas the jap metropolis of Kharkiv, which has a inhabitants of greater than 1 million, was progressively being surrounded.
Within the south, preventing was reported to be persevering with round Kherson on the Dnieper River and in Melitopol. Video circulated exhibiting massive numbers of what gave the impression to be Russian Spetsnaz particular forces massing outdoors a Ukrainian SBU intelligence constructing in Melitopol.
Combating was additionally going down round Mariupol, additional east, and near the road of management with the pro-Russian separatist statelets, its mayor mentioned at lunchtime, as Moscow’s forces tried to create a land hall to occupied Crimea.
The state of affairs in the remainder of the nation remained extra fluid. A resident within the southern Black Sea port of Odesa mentioned that whereas there had been Russian strikes within the south of town the north remained calm.
Maryna who lives in Odesa, described the state of affairs within the Black Sea port metropolis.
“I reside in Odesa in Kotovsky settlement on the northern fringe of town. There will not be many explosions the place I’m. It’s a slim, lengthy city alongside the coast and I’m within the north whereas a lot of the army items are within the south.
“The one factor close to me is a coaching space which I can often hear and it’s quiet. One of many strikes yesterday hit a residential space known as 411 Battery. It’s a historic space named after the gun battery that defended Odesa in world struggle two however now it’s residential.
“Folks in Odesa are primarily staying indoors. The retailers are open however persons are too scared to exit and yesterday individuals purchased all of the bread as a result of they have been frightened it might run out.”
In Sumy, the principle metropolis within the Sumy area, and 125 miles from the Russian border, Russian forces have been in charge of town, with residents saying that armour was seen patrolling within the streets.
Sasha, 33, a vet who lives in Sumy, the principle metropolis within the Sumy area, mentioned: “I reside not removed from the artillery coaching college which is the place there was preventing yesterday when the Russians got here. “I’ve aged dad and mom and a small youngster, so we predict it’s greatest to remain.
“All of the visitors within the metropolis has stopped and there may be Russian armour within the streets. If the residents don’t shoot on the Russians, they don’t shoot again. They arrived earlier than lunchtime yesterday which is once we heard the capturing. It’s quiet now. To this point it is just Russian troopers and they aren’t making any proclamations.”
“We’ve additionally heard that the Russians have taken Okhtyrka which is 70km from right here and additional west. They’ve put up the Russian flag.
