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Zelensky urges Ukrainians to resist as Russian forces battle for Kyiv

26 February 2022 04:51 (UTC +04:00)

Ukraine’s president urged citizens to hold fast in a pivotal night for the nation as Russian forces pushed into the suburbs of Kyiv but faced stiff resistance that has so far prevented them from seizing any of the country’s biggest cities, APA reports quoting Financial Times.

With Ukraine’s citizens huddled in bomb shelters, fleeing, or arming themselves with makeshift weapons, President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared on television just before midnight local time on Friday and rallied them to fight.

“Tonight the enemy will use all the forces at their disposal to break our resistance,” Zelensky said, hours after warning that Russian saboteurs had entered the capital and were seeking to kill him. “We have to persevere tonight. The fate of Ukraine is being decided right now.”

Kyiv residents woke to loud explosions on Friday and reports of Russian armoured vehicles advancing into the northern Kyiv district of Obolon, bringing street fighting to the capital, which has a population of 3mn.

But western officials said tough Ukrainian opposition had slowed Russia’s attempt to encircle Kyiv and capture Kharkiv in the north-east, the country’s second-biggest city.

“In general, the Russians have lost a little bit of their momentum,” said a Pentagon official. “A good indication is that no population centres have been taken.” As Russian armoured columns moved to encircle Kyiv, Putin urged Ukraine’s armed forces to “take power into their own hands” and overthrow their government so they could strike a peace deal with Russia.