* Russian troops were advancing on the center of Kyiv in the early hours of Saturday with fierce fighting by the city's zoo in the west, near the Beresteiska metro, and to the north, near the Troieshchyna thermal plant
* President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday night warned his people in an address to the nation that the capital, Kyiv, would be attacked overnight
* For two nights in a row Russia has bombarded Kyiv, but Moscow in the early hours of Saturday began what it hopes to be a final push
* Russian troops were encountering heavy resistance, and the advance from the west appeared to have been pushed back, with the Ukrainian Armed Forces claiming to have repelled the move
* Ukraine's armed forces said on Friday night that they had shot down south of Kyiv two Russian IL-76 military transport plane carrying Russian paratroopers, in Vasylkiv and in Bila Tserkva
* Hours later they claimed to have downed in Donbas a helicopter and Su-25 ground attack jet, using surface-to-air missiles
* Fierce fighting was reported in Troieshchyna, north of Kyiv - site of a thermal power station. The district has been under attack for several days with Russian seeking to control the city's vital infrastructure
* Zelensky, speaking from a secret location in the capital, said: 'Russia will try to break our resistance with all its might. Tonight the enemy will begin storming us'
* He urged Ukrainians to resist, adding that Chernihiv, Symy, Kharkiv, Donbass, and the south could all come under attack
* Britain's Ministry of Defence said Russian forces are moving towards Kyiv from multiple directions, in an attempt to encircle the city
* Vitali Klitschko, the former world champion heavyweight boxer who is now mayor of Kyiv, said the city faces a 'difficult night'
Ukraine's armed forces were engaged in a fierce battle for Kyiv on Friday night, with footage on social media showing explosions close to a metro station in the western center of the capital by the zoo; a battle ongoing for control of a thermal power plant to the north; and multiple reports suggesting fierce fighting 20 miles south, near a vital airbase.
In Kyiv, footage shared on social media showed a bombardment close to Beresteiska metro station, in the west of the city, which is near the zoo.
More than 50 explosions and heavy machine gun fire were reported in the district of Shulyavka, near Beresteiska metro and the zoo, according to The Kyiv Independent.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The Russian military advance has been shocking. From the start of the invasion early Thursday morning to fighting in the center of Kiev within 48 hours was not expected. I though that it would take at least a week, if not more, before Russian military forces were engaging Ukrainian forces in Kiev.
As I had mentioned early today. Seeing videos of Russian armor in the suburbs of Kyiv was shocking. And now I am reading reports from the AP, AFP, and others that Russia is airlifting thousands of paratroopers to airfields around Kyiv that were suppose to have been retaken by Ukrainian military forces only yesterday.
Fog of war indeed.
The next two days are going to be critical on where this war is heading. If Kiev falls as US intelligence is predicting, Ukraine's military command and control centers will be decapitated. It will then be only a matter of time before the Ukraine military itself either dissolves or surrender, and those who will want to continue the fight will do so but in a partisan manner.
Update: Just learned that Russian military forces are in Bila Tserkva. It is a city of about 200,000 and it is 70km south of Kyiv. It is also the place that my family (on my father's side) has lived for 300 years, and where our ancestral home and the family cemetery is located. It is also where many of my relatives are now staying hoping to avoid the war. I know this because according to reports that is where a Russian transport plane carrying paratroopers to support troops that had seized the airport earlier today was just shot down. At least according to Ukraine media.
Heavy Fighting Reported Throughout
Kyiv Heavy fighting in Kyiv outskirts as Russia, Ukraine signal possibility of talks -- Reuters
Kyiv under threat as Russian forces ramp up assault on Ukraine's capital -- France 24
President refuses to flee, urges Ukraine to ‘stand firm’ -- AP
Russian forces tighten hold on Kyiv in attempt to topple government -- The Guardian
Ukraine: Zelenskyy says Russia ready to 'storm' Kyiv -- DW
Ukrainians Brace For Russian Assault On Kyiv -- RFE
Ukraine President urges 'we cannot lose the capital', as Kyiv prepares for Russian attack -- ABC News Australia
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