Ukraine invasion: What to know as Russian forces target Kyiv

Vienna, Feb 27 (AP): After a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country, Russian forces were closing in on Ukraine's capital of Kyi.

Ukraine invasion: What to know as Russian forces target Kyiv

Vienna, Feb 27 (AP): After a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country, Russian forces were closing in on Ukraine's capital of Kyiv. City officials warned of street fighting, and residents were preparing for a third night of assaults.

Here are the things to know about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the security crisis in Eastern Europe: WHAT IS GOING ON IN UKRAINE'S CAPITAL? Central Kyiv appeared quiet on Saturday, though sporadic gunfire could be heard. Ukrainian officials reported some success in fending off Russian assaults, but fighting persisted near the capital. Skirmishes reported on the edge of the city suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces.

Britain and the U.S. said the bulk of Russian forces were 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the centre of the city.

With growing signs that Russia aims to overthrow him and his government, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to "stand firm." Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko extended the city's curfew from 5 p.m. Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday to keep people indoors on Sunday. He said "all civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups." ALLIES STEP UP TO AID UKRAINE International allies put Russia under increasing pressure and pledged additional aid to help Ukraine in the coming days.

In a significant shift, Germany announced on Saturday evening that it would send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 "Stinger" surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine "as quickly as possible." Those weapons are in addition to the 400 German-made anti-tank weapons Germany also approved to be shipped from the Netherlands, as well as 9 D-30 howitzers and ammunition from Estonia.

The Biden administration said it was sending Ukraine up to USD 350 million in arms and other defensive supplies from U.S. stockpiles with another USD 250 million in defensive support possible. The Czech Republic also approved a plan to send more arms to Ukraine.

In addition, various European countries — including the Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — have decided to close their airspace to Russian airlines.

WHERE IS UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT? Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, has been posting video messages of himself and other national leaders in Kyiv since the invasion began on Thursday but his exact whereabouts were not publicly known.

Zelenskyy was urged early Saturday to evacuate Kyiv at the behest of the U.S. government but turned down the offer, according to a senior American intelligence official. The official quoted the president as saying "the fight is here" and that he needed anti-tank ammunition but "not a ride." In his latest message on Saturday, Zelenskyy said Russian attempts to forge into Kyiv have been repelled and Moscow's plan to quickly seize the capital and install a puppet government has been thwarted.

"The real fighting for Kyiv is ongoing," Zelenskyy said, accusing Russia in a video message of hitting infrastructure and civilian targets. "We will win." Zelenskyy has posted regular updates on his Twitter account and spoke with world leaders Saturday, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also praised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany's decision to send weapons directly to Ukraine.

RUSSIAN TROOPS MARCH ON IN UKRAINE Kyiv officials are warning residents that street fighting is underway against Russian forces, who were trying to advance on the city from several directions. They advised residents to remain in shelters and avoid going near windows.

A senior U.S. defence official said the United States estimates that more than 50 per cent of Russian combat power arrayed along Ukraine's borders has entered Ukraine. That is up from a U.S. estimate on Friday that one-third of the Russian force had been committed to the fight.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. assessments, would not say how many Russian troops that amounts to inside Ukraine, but the U.S. had estimated the total Russian force arrayed near Ukraine at more than 1,50,000.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov claimed on Saturday that since the start of Russia's attack, its military had hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, 87 tanks and other targets.

Konashenkov claimed the Russian military has taken full control of the southern city of Melitopol, 35 kilometres (22 miles) inland from the Azov Sea coast, and said Russia-backed separatists have made significant gains in the eastern region of Donbas.

UKRAINIAN CIVILIANS IN HARM'S WAY Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit and civilians have been killed and injured during Europe's largest ground war since World War II.

Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said on Saturday that 198 people have been killed and more than 1,000 others have been wounded in the Russian offensive. It was not clear whether the figure included both military and civilians.

He said 1,115 other people, including 33 children, were wounded in the Russian invasion.

SOME UKRAINIANS FLEE TO SAFETY U.N. officials said nearly 1,20,000 Ukrainians had left the country for Poland, Romania, Hungary and other neighbouring nations and the number was going up fast as Ukrainians rushed to escape the deadly Russian onslaught. (AP) DIV DIV

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)