Russian forces have entered northern Kyiv region, says Ukraine military

Russian troops have breached the northern Kyiv region as per the Ukrainian border guards, reported news agency AFP. The administrative centre of the region is the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv, and the rapid Russian advance puts the capital under serious threat.

Reportedly, the Russians advanced into the region from neighbouring Belarus, which shares a border with Ukraine, a mere 160 kilometres from the capital, Kyiv.

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“Border guards and soldiers are fighting,” said the statement by the Ukrainian government, adding that its forces were under serious fire from heavy artillery and rockets.

Taking into account Russia’s rapid advance into Ukrainian territory, Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba termed the Russian attack a “full-scale” invasion, saying, “No, this is not a Russian invasion only in the east of Ukraine, but a full-scale attack from multiple directions.”

“No, the Ukrainian defense has not collapsed. Ukrainian army took the fight. Ukraine stands with both feet on the ground & continues to defend itself,” Kuleba added.

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The news of the Russian advance comes hours after Moscow sent its troops into the eastern region of Ukraine in a “special military operation,” marking the beginning of an invasion on Thursday morning.

Subsequently, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the termination of diplomatic ties with Russia, the first rupture of ties between the two countries since 1991.

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The Ukrainian President also urged all able-bodied Ukrainians to take up arms against the Russian invaders, and assured all who were willing to fight that they would be supplied with weapons by Kyiv.

Further, Zelensky described Russian acts of aggression as being akin to those of Nazi Germany during World War II, terming the Russian attack a blitzkrieg, a tactic widely used by Nazi Germany to push past defences.