Putin’s forces closed in on Kyiv from various directions overnight in their effort to take the capital.
Kyiv, also known as Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of January 1, 2021, its population was 2,962,180 making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, 44, is a Ukrainian politician, former actor, and comedian who has been serving as the president of Ukraine since 2019.
President Zelenskyy has urged the world to help his country beat back the Russian invasion as those forces closed in on Kyiv from various directions overnight in their effort to take the capital.
Zelenskyy has tweeted that he had started “a new day on the diplomatic frontline” by talking to French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a second tweet, Zelenskyy called the present “a crucial moment to close the long-standing discussion once and for all and decide on Ukraine’s membership in the #EU,” or European Union.
Ukraine’s government said it faced “a full-scale attack from multiple directions.” World leaders condemned President Vladimir Putin’s actions. The Ukrainian health minister says that 198 people have been killed and more than 1,000 others have been wounded in the Russian offensive.
Viktor Lyashko, Health Minister, said Saturday that there were three children among those killed. His statement made it unclear whether the casualties included both military and civilians.
He said another 1,115 people, including 33 children, were wounded in the Russian invasion that began Thursday with massive air and missile strikes and troops forging into Ukraine from the north, east, and south.
The UN refugee agency says that over 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have left the country since Russia began its attack on its neighboring country this week.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have crossed into neighboring countries to the west in search of safety as Russia pounded their capital and other cities with airstrikes for a second day.
In a selfie-style video posted to Twitter early on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to stay and fight on.
He said: “I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state because our weapons are our truth,” he declared, denouncing as disinformation claims that he had surrendered or fled.
The Czech Republic’s government has approved a plan to send more arms to Ukraine. The Defense Ministry said it is immediately sending machine guns, submachine guns, assault rifles, and pistols together with ammunition worth $8.6 million.
The ministry said the Czechs will transport the weapons and deliver them to a place determined by the Ukrainian side. The Czech Republic has already agreed to donate some 4,000 pieces of artillery shells worth $1.7 million to Ukraine.
Kyiv is an important industrial, scientific, educational, and cultural center in Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions, and historical landmarks. The city has an extensive system of public transport and infrastructure, including the Kyiv Metro.
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