Loud explosions were reported in Kyiv into Friday, as Russian ground troops pressed the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital in an effort to encircle it. At least 137 Ukrainian troops were killed in the first day of fighting, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
State of play: Zelensky said Friday Russia’s claim that it doesn’t target Ukrainian civilians is “a lie.” He earlier accused Russian forces of entering the capital to hunt for him and his family. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin briefed lawmakers on Thursday that Russian mechanized units arriving from Belarus were 20 miles outside of Kyiv.
- The Pentagon believed Russia intended to encircle Kyiv and “decapitate” its government, according to a senior defense official.
- “Horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv. Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, urging the world to “sever all ties” with Russia.
- In an address to the nation, Zelensky announced a full military mobilization, with men aged 18 to 60 barred from leaving the country.
- “We have been left alone to defend our state,” Zelensky said, adding that he was grateful to those countries providing help and not just statements.
The latest: Fierce fighting was reported at an airfield just outside Kyiv, raising fears the Russian army could use it as a launchpad to try and take Ukraine’s capital.
Meanwhile, all 13 soldiers guarding a small island in the Black Sea were killed when the overmatched Ukrainian force refused to surrender under bombardment from a Russian warship.
- The Ukrainian army reported the recapture of an airport near Kyiv and heavy losses among the Russian forces that had taken it earlier in the day.
- But Russian forces pushed into Ukraine on three broad fronts, with the troops invading from Crimea in the south appearing to make significant progress.
- A Pentagon official said the heaviest initial fighting was near Kharkiv, a major city on the eastern border with Russia. There has also been heavy urban fighting in the northeastern city of Sumy, according to video verified by the NYT.
- Fighting on the northern border near the Chernobyl nuclear facility, which was overrun Thursday, caused international alarm due to the risk from radioactive material. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. was “outraged” by reports that Russian forces were holding the staff of the site “hostage.”
By the numbers: The U.N. said around 100,000 Ukrainians had fled their homes as of Thursday evening.
The big picture: “Russia has quantitative and qualitative superiority over the Ukrainian forces across the board,” says Michael Kofman, an expert on Russia’s military capabilities at CNA.
- The fighting seen Thursday was only “the very early hours” of the Russian campaign and involved a fraction of the total Russian force, he says.
- “I think we should expect a substantial Russian pincer movement to encircle Kyiv from the north,” he adds, with troops potentially advancing rapidly toward the Dnieper River and cutting off Ukrainian forces in the East.
Russia has conducted a major air assault, engaged the Ukrainian air defenses and air force, and fired cruise missiles on radar, command and control, air bases and air fields, Kofman notes.
What to watch: But they have not unleashed the full force of their cyber capabilities, which could shut down key Ukrainian infrastructure.
Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with new details on Russian forces reaching the outskirts of Kyiv and Zelensky’s comments that Ukrainian civilians are being targeted in attacks.
Data: The New York Times and Reuters; Mapbox/OSCE; Map: Will Chase and Jared Whalen/AxiosLoud explosions were reported in Kyiv into Friday, as Russian ground troops pressed the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital in an effort to encircle it. At least 137 Ukrainian troops were killed in the first day of fighting, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.State of play: Zelensky said Friday Russia’s claim that it doesn’t target Ukrainian civilians is “a lie.” He earlier accused Russian forces of entering the capital to hunt for him and his family. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin briefed lawmakers on Thursday that Russian mechanized units arriving from Belarus were 20 miles outside of Kyiv.The Pentagon believed Russia intended to encircle Kyiv and “decapitate” its government, according to a senior defense official.”Horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv. Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, urging the world to “sever all ties” with Russia.In an address to the nation, Zelensky announced a full military mobilization, with men aged 18 to 60 barred from leaving the country.”We have been left alone to defend our state,” Zelensky said, adding that he was grateful to those countries providing help and not just statements.The latest: Fierce fighting was reported at an airfield just outside Kyiv, raising fears the Russian army could use it as a launchpad to try and take Ukraine’s capital.Meanwhile, all 13 soldiers guarding a small island in the Black Sea were killed when the overmatched Ukrainian force refused to surrender under bombardment from a Russian warship.The Ukrainian army reported the recapture of an airport near Kyiv and heavy losses among the Russian forces that had taken it earlier in the day.But Russian forces pushed into Ukraine on three broad fronts, with the troops invading from Crimea in the south appearing to make significant progress. A Pentagon official said the heaviest initial fighting was near Kharkiv, a major city on the eastern border with Russia. There has also been heavy urban fighting in the northeastern city of Sumy, according to video verified by the NYT.Fighting on the northern border near the Chernobyl nuclear facility, which was overrun Thursday, caused international alarm due to the risk from radioactive material. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. was “outraged” by reports that Russian forces were holding the staff of the site “hostage.”By the numbers: The U.N. said around 100,000 Ukrainians had fled their homes as of Thursday evening. Zelensky addresses Ukrainians on the situation. Photo: Ukrainian Presidency handout via Getty ImagesThe big picture: “Russia has quantitative and qualitative superiority over the Ukrainian forces across the board,” says Michael Kofman, an expert on Russia’s military capabilities at CNA.The fighting seen Thursday was only “the very early hours” of the Russian campaign and involved a fraction of the total Russian force, he says.”I think we should expect a substantial Russian pincer movement to encircle Kyiv from the north,” he adds, with troops potentially advancing rapidly toward the Dnieper River and cutting off Ukrainian forces in the East.Russia has conducted a major air assault, engaged the Ukrainian air defenses and air force, and fired cruise missiles on radar, command and control, air bases and air fields, Kofman notes.What to watch: But they have not unleashed the full force of their cyber capabilities, which could shut down key Ukrainian infrastructure.Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisisEditor’s note: This article has been updated with new details on Russian forces reaching the outskirts of Kyiv and Zelensky’s comments that Ukrainian civilians are being targeted in attacks.