Ukrainian authorities have claimed that heavy fighting is underway in several parts of the capital. Many eyewitness accounts posted videos on social media of explosions and flashes taking place in southern and northwest areas of Kyiv.
This comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a message overnight that Russian troops are attacking the country from multiple directions and will try to “storm” the capital city of Kyiv. The capital continues to be hit by Russian offenses in the air.
On Friday evening, Zelenskyy addressed Ukrainians from the capital with top officials and said the country’s leadership had not fled the city.
According to Ukraine’s State Agency for Special Communications, air defense shot down a Russian close support aircraft and a helicopter in the Donbass region.
They claimed an S-300 system killed a Russian Sukhoi Su-25 jet and an unspecified helicopter at midnight. The State Agency also reported that forces near Bila Tserkva killed the second aircraft that could carry over 100 paratroopers to land south of Kyiv.
The first aircraft, A Russian Ilyushin Il-76 plane, was shot down close to the city of Vasylkiv south of Kyiv, according to Ukraine’s top general Valeriy Zaluzhniy.
Explosions and fierce artillery sounds were heard in Kyiv’s Shulyavka and Beresteiska. More than 50 explosions and heavy machine-gun fire have been reported in Shulyavka and near the city zoo.
Reports of heavy gunfire by the Beresteiska metro station, near a Ukrainian military unit that is located there, also came out.
Ukrainska Pravda, citing their sources in the military, relayed that Russian ‘saboteurs’ disguised as national police had taken over a checkpoint near Vasylkiv, south of Kyiv, where heavy fighting was reported and opened fire on Ukrainian soldiers there.
One of many instances where Russian ‘saboteurs’ were said to be seen infiltrating areas around the country.
The United States has announced that they are prepared to help the Ukrainian president leave the capital city to avoid being captured or killed by invading Russian forces.
But the president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has refused to leave the country, stating that he will stay and fight for his people.
Edited By- Subbuthai Padma
Published By- Satheesh Kumar
