Russian forces reach outskirts of Kyiv

Missile strikes hit Kyiv on Friday morning and Ukrainian authorities reported gunfire in the city center as Russian troops continued to close in on the capital. Local officials said a group of Russian spies and saboteurs had entered a district on the city’s outskirts, and the defense ministry ominously advised Kyiv residents to “prepare Molotov cocktails” to deter the Russians. Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelenskyy, who has declared martial law, said 137 Ukrainians, both military and civilian, had been killed after the first day of fighting. An adviser to Zelenskyy claimed 400 Russian soldiers had also died. Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted his roughly 175,000 troops would only attack military targets, but apartment complexes and children’s playgrounds are caught in the missile crossfire. Fierce battles have broken out at airports and bridges as Russian forces sweep into Ukraine. The Russians took control of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and Antonov Airport—roughly 25 miles from Kyiv—on Thursday.

Who is fighting back? Zelenskyy severed all diplomatic ties with Russia and reassured his citizens that the army is defending them, but they face battles on multiple fronts. Tanks and armored divisions have poured into the country from Belarus, Crimea, and along the Russia-Ukraine border. Ministry officials reported hundreds of instances of constant shelling on Ukrainian cities since early Thursday morning. President Joe Biden ordered an additional 7,000 troops to NATO ally countries on Thursday but said they would not engage in battles in Ukraine.

Dig deeper: Read Esther Eaton’s analysis of how Putin is attempting to justify the invasion.