New Delhi: The Ukrainian army has said that it is fighting the Russian troops in the outskirts of Kyiv, reported AFP. Russian forces approaching Kyiv from northeast and east says the Ukraine army.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says the Russian forces are targeting civilians and praised his countrymen for their "heroism". He spoke as Moscow's forces reach Kyiv. The clash between the two countries had been anticipated for weeks by the US and Western allies, considered to be the largest ground war in Europe since World War II
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Russian troops are advancing to the outskirts of Kyiv on Friday by unleashing tanks and airstrikes on the city from all three sides of the country. During an emergency meeting, Ukraine's president pleaded for international help and said that sanctions were not enough which could topple his democratically elected government, cause massive casualties and ripple out damage to the global economy.
According to media reports, President Zelensky said: "If you don't help us now, if you fail to offer powerful assistance to Ukraine, tomorrow the war will knock on your door".
Ukraine has cut diplomatic ties with Moscow, declared martial law, and ordered a full military mobilisation that would last 90 days.
President Zelensky took to Twitter and wrote: "Not all possibilities for sanctions have been exhausted yet. The pressure on Russia must increase. Said this to @Vonderleyen. I am grateful to the President for her decision on additional financial assistance."
Visuals from Thursday showed Kyiv residents fleeing the city in droves as war became imminent. According to reports around 137 Ukrainian civilians have died in the explosions. Videos from different parts of the country showed destruction and attacks, including, one video showing a missile hitting an airport in Ivano-Frankivsk in Ukraine.
Zelensky said he understood Russian troops were coming for him but vowed to stay in Kyiv.
"(The) enemy has marked me down as the number one target," Zelensky said in a video message. "My family is the number two target. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state."
"I will stay in the capital. My family is also in Ukraine", Reuters quoted him.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced 'military operation' in Ukraine to defend separatists in the eastern part of the country. "I have made the decision of a military operation," declared Putin in an address to the nation.
The Russian president also threatened retaliation against anybody challenging Russia's military action in Ukraine.
"Anyone who tries to interfere with us, or even more so, to create threats for our country and our people, must know that Russia’s response will be immediate and will lead you to such consequences as you have never before experienced in your history," Putin said in a televised address.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow would be ready to hold talks with Kyiv, but only once Ukraine's military had laid down its arms.