Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has called on residents in Kyiv’s (Ukraine’s capital) northern outskirts to defend the capital, by making firebombs “to neutralise the enemy.”
In an overnight pass, the city was hit by blasts, with at least one block of flats damaged and several civilians injured.
Russia has denied carrying out strikes.
An unnamed source at Russia’s Defence Ministry disclosed that a plane shot down over Kyiv was Ukrainian, according to news reports. But Ukraine has also said the jet was Russian.
As the second day of fighting takes off, Moscow, which is attacking from the east, south and north, appears to have Kyiv firmly in its sights.
There are several reports of clashes between the two sides, with Ukrainian forces blowing up a bridge in an attempt to slow Russia’s advance. Western intelligence officials earlier warned that Russia is building an “overwhelming force” to take control of the city.
In the second day (Friday, February 25, 2022) of the war, citizens in the northern Obolon district have been asked to stay home to avoid “active military operations” by city officials. Obolon is the same area where it appeared tanks were destroyed.
The Ministry of Defence appealed to the district’s residents on its Facebook page to “inform us of troop movements, to make Molotov cocktails [firebombs] and neutralise the enemy”.
Overnight, families took shelter in Kyiv’s underground metro stations as aerial attacks struck the city, including the densely populated Pozniake area, injuring about eight lives.
“Putin, we want to see you slaughtered like an animal,” one Kyiv resident told the media.
One of the residents, Oxana Gulenko said: “How can live through it in our time?” while she was cleaning broken glass from one blast.
“What should we think. Putin should be burnt in hell along with his whole family.”
One of the residents, Oxana Gulenko
Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, averred Moscow is ready for talks “as soon as the armed forces of Ukraine respond to our call and lay down their arms”.
Speaking to reporters, Lavrov intimated Russia does not intend to occupy Ukraine, adding that their aims were clear: “Demilitarisation and de-Nazification.”
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, disclosed that Russia is seeking to “destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state”.
“According to the information we have, the enemy has designated me as target number one. My family is target number two.”
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President Zelenskyy has vowed to stay in Kyiv and continue fighting the attacks across Ukraine, coming from the north, south and east. He has also ordered the call-up of conscripts (people in the national service) and reservists in all of Ukraine’s regions. The country’s Defence Minister urged anyone able to hold a weapon to join the effort to repel Russia.
There are already stories of immense bravery of some Ukrainians, including some 13 border guards on a tiny island in the Black Sea who refused to surrender to a Russian warship and were massacred in a bombardment.
President Zelenskyy said they would be given posthumous war hero honours.
Thursday (February 24, 2022) also saw fighting around the site of the former nuclear power plant in Chernobyl. Ukrainian Presidential Adviser, Mykhaylo Podolyak, disclosed that the nuclear site itself was lost following a “fierce battle”.
On Friday, February 25, 2022, Ukraine’s nuclear agency said it recorded raised radiation levels in the area. A statement released by Russia’s Ministry of Defence noted that levels were normal, adding an agreement had been reached “to ensure security of the power plant and sarcophagus of the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant”.
Ukraine has about 137 people, both civilians and soldiers killed, while British Defence Minister, Ben Wallace, averred the UK estimated that Russia had lost 450 personnel after Moscow launched the attack in the early hours of Thursday (February 24, 2022) morning.
Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, who declared war against Ukraine in a televised address, threatened any country with “consequences you have never seen,” for any attempt to interfere in the crisis.
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