Explosions were reported in Kyiv on Friday night, as the Russian forces attempted to enter the capital city and faced fierce resistance from the Ukrainian military, according to The Guardian.
Explosions were heard all around in the wee hours of Saturday morning, before an eerie silence blanketed the city for about 45 minutes, before being broken by gunfire near the centre of the city at about 5.45am, according to CNN.
Heavy fighting on the outskirts of Kyiv pic.twitter.com/RnbFJbpgLU
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 26, 2022
Ukraine’s Military Law Enforcement Service said that the explosions were by the military destroying a column of equipment by the Russians.
At about 7.08am (Ukraine time), a reporter for The Economist, Tim Jidah, tweeted from Kyiv with a photo, saying that there was total silence, with no Russians in the city centre for the time being.
Kyiv now. Total silence. No Russians here in the centre. pic.twitter.com/5Od0CGJo8a
— Tim Judah (@timjudah1) February 26, 2022
The Interior Ministry of Ukraine then warned civilians via Facebook that fighting was taking place on the streets later that morning, with the ministry advising civilians to remain calm and seek shelter.
Multiple reports then emerged, with a high rise residential building reportedly hit by a missile in Zhuliany, a neighbourhood near Kyiv.
⚡️Missile strikes an apartment building in Kyiv.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 26, 2022
After heavy fighting in the capital overnight, a residential apartment building not far from the Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany) was struck by Russian missile attacks. There are no reported deaths. pic.twitter.com/8yau9qyEZ9
Kyiv's mayor says an apartment building was hit by a missile moments ago. Images show a massive gash in the side of a high-rise, and I've pinned this down near the north side of Zhuliany airport.
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) February 26, 2022
Coordinates: 50.42258396736762, 30.465203302626204 pic.twitter.com/Ts4KJOr3xf
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video onto Twitter showing himself in central Kyiv, dismissing rumours that Ukraine was going to surrender, and assured his people that he was still in the city.
He assured people that “I’m here, we won’t lay down our arms and we will defend our state”.
Не вірте фейкам. pic.twitter.com/wiLqmCuz1p
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022
The US government had reportedly offered to evacuate president Zelensky from Kyiv but he rejected them, saying that he “needs ammunition, not a ride”.
According to experts, as reported by The South China Morning Post, President Zelensky will either be killed or become a prisoner should Kyiv fall to the Russian invaders.