No Russian troops in Kyiv, mayor Vitali Klitschko claims

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Sunday there are no Russian troops in the Ukrainian capital.

“There were clashes and skirmishes at night. Destroyed several large sabotage groups,” Klitschko posted on his Instagram account.

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“Our military, law enforcement, and territorial defense continue to detect and neutralize saboteurs.”

Klitschko stated that nine civilians, including one child, as well as 18 military and territorial defence professionals, have been killed in Kyiv since the Russian invasion began.

“It is for the safety of the residents that we have imposed a curfew until tomorrow morning. Do not go outside. You can leave only if, at the signal of the air alarm, you go to the shelter,” he said.

“Russia is shelling residential neighborhoods in the Ukrainian capital. Russia is killing Ukrainians all over Ukraine!”

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Russia’s Ministry of Defense has stated that it is only targeting military installations and not civilians.

The news site CNN had geolocated video showing Ukrainian soldiers destroying a column of Russian armoured personnel carriers and other vehicles on the outskirts of Kyiv.

One video taken early Sunday morning shows the Russian column speeding past a residential neighbourhood (Bucha) on the city’s western fringes.

A short time later, the Russian group is geolocated nearby, but the majority of the cars are broken and some are turned on their sides. The Russian soldiers are nowhere to be found.

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In one video, a man can be heard cursing in Ukrainian and then saying “They came to our land. I wish you all to burn in Hell.”

“I would give my life if needed.”

The man claims that the Ukrainian Air Force “did its job well,” but it is unclear how the attack on the convoy was carried out.