“The city has gone into a defensive phase. Shots and explosions are ringing out in some neighborhoods. Saboteurs have already entered Kyiv,” said Kyiv’s mayor, former world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitchko.
Russia’s military said Friday it took control of the strategic Hostomel airport northwest of Kyiv that enables it to quickly mobilize forces to seize the capital. Russia’s claim was not immediately confirmed but Ukrainian authorities reported heavy fighting there.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denounced “horrific rocket strikes” on Kyiv, some of which hit civilian areas. The windows were blown out in a 10-story apartment building near Kyiv’s main airport, where a two-meter crater showed where a missile had hit before dawn.
In this handout photo taken from video released by Ukrainian Police Department Press Service, firefighters inspect the damage at a building following a rocket attack on the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022.
After meeting Friday with foreign ministry officials from the separatist-controlled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters that Russia was “ready for talks at any moment” with Ukraine once Ukrainian forces “stop their resistance and lay down their arms.”
Ukraine’s Office of the President said earlier it is ready to open negotiations with Russia to agree on “neutral status,” but it want security guarantees in return. “We should stop this war,” an adviser to the president said. In response to Ukraine’s offer, the Kremlin said Friday that Russia is ready to send a delegation to Belarus for talks with Ukrainian officials.
At the United Nations, Security Council members plan to vote Friday on a resolution that would condemn Russia for invading Ukraine and reaffirm the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. It will also call on Russia to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw troops from Ukraine.
(Photo: Giovanni Cancemi)
Photo Instagram-A Ukrainian police officer stands guard outside a residential apartment building in southeast Kyiv that was attacked by Russian military forces early the morning of Feb. 25. Residents say rocket fire, potentially artillery, struck the building around 4 AM.
