Russian troops ordered to resume offensive ‘from all directions’

Russian troops have been ordered by President Putin to advance on Ukraine “from all directions.”

The Ukrainian capital Kyiv imposed a blanket curfew after fighting in the city saw Russian troops push back.

Ukrainian officials reported that 198 people have died, including three children; 1,115 were wounded as explosions reverberated in Kyiv.

Russia pushes forward

Baby girl born on the metro

As bombs exploded atop the capital, thousands of civilians fled underground to bunkers, cellars and train stations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a baby girl had been born on the metro, saying the birth showed “the enemy has no chance”.

Some recounted a night of horror. 

“At night it was more than one hour of huge explosions, it was very stressful,” said Yulia Snitko, a pregnant 32-year-old who spent the night sheltering in the basement of her Kyiv apartment block, fearing premature labour. 

“When I realised what was happening, I was trembling.”

Thousands of refugees made their way to the Polish border city of Przemysl by train.

“We don’t want to be running from country to country and asking for support, but support is really needed this time,” one refugee, Anna, told AFP.

Ukraine ‘rejected’ talks

Moscow said it fired cruise missiles at military targets and would “develop the offensive from all directions” after accusing Ukraine of having “rejected” talks.

But, on day three of Russia’s invasion, the defiant Zelenskyy vowed his country would never give in to the Kremlin, while Washington said the invading force had a “lack of momentum”.

Ukraine’s army said it held back an assault on the capital, but was fighting Russian “sabotage groups” which had infiltrated the city. 

“We will do and say only one thing, we will fight until we have liberated our country”, said Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy also said Ukraine had “derailed” Moscow’s plan to overthrow him while urging the Russian population to pressure their president to stop the attack.

Russia’s full-scale invasion

The Pentagon estimates half of the invasion force built up by Russia on Ukraine’s borders in recent months is now inside the country.

But there was a “lack of momentum over the last 24 hours, particularly in the northern parts of Ukraine” and the Russian military had still not gained air superiority over the country, the official said.

Ignoring warnings from the West, Putin unleashed a full-scale invasion that the UN refugee agency said has forced almost 116,000 people into neighbouring countries.

Tens of thousands more are estimated to be displaced within Ukraine, with many on the move to western areas of the country less affected by fighting.

Global protests call on Putin to end attacks

Pro-Ukraine protests erupted around the world as thousands demonstrated their solidarity. 

Zelenskyy has also asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to strip Russia of its vote at the UN Security Council as punishment for the invasion. 

Earlier, he’d thanked “partners” for sending weapons and equipment, with ex-communist eastern European countries and Britain among them, while Washington announced $350 million (R5.3 billion) of new military assistance.

In a major U-turn, Berlin said it will send Kyiv 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles, reversing its longstanding policy of not exporting weapons to war zones. 

Germany also announced it was working to limit Russia’s access to SWIFT global payments which would cripple Russia’s trade with most of the world, despite previously resisting the move over concerns Russia could cut off gas supplies.

Compiled by Narissa Subramoney; additional reporting by AFP.

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