TIL Desk/National/Kyiv/ Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine’s capital early Saturday as explosions reverberated through the city and the president urged the country to stand firm against the siege that could determine its future. He refused American help to evacuate, saying: The fight is here.
Hundreds of casualties were reported in the fighting, which included shelling that sliced through a Kyiv apartment building and pummeled bridges and schools. There also were growing signs that Russia may be seeking to overthrow Ukraine’s government, which U.S. officials have described as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ultimate objective.
The assault represented Putin’s boldest effort yet to redraw the world map and revive Moscow’s Cold War-era influence. It triggered new international efforts to end the invasion, including direct sanctions on Putin.
As his country confronted explosions and gunfire, and as the fate of Kyiv hung in the balance, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed for a cease-fire and warned in a bleak statement that multiple cities were under attack. This night we have to stand firm, he said. “The fate of Ukraine is being decided right now.
