Ukraine War: Explosions in Kiev - witness reports shots, burning buildings and dead civilians

Created: 02/25/2022, 22:05

By: Andreas Schmid

In the Ukraine conflict, Russian troops have reached Kiev.

The capital reports several explosions.

Mayor Klitschko warns the population.

All information in the news ticker.

• The Russia-Ukraine conflict* continues.

  Russian troops are apparently advancing to Kiev.

• Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kiev, warns of a "very difficult night".

• Russia's invasion has "lost momentum," US says.

• This

  news ticker about events in Ukraine

  is continuously updated.

  All information on the Ukraine war can be found on our topic page on the Ukraine conflict*.

Kiev - The Ukraine conflict is also taking place in the capital Kiev.

Kiev's Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned the residents of the city of over a million people about a "very difficult night".

The former world boxing champion wrote on Telegram: "The situation is threatening for Kiev - without exaggeration." Russian troops are near the capital, and the city's bridges are secured with soldiers.

There are checkpoints not only at the city limits.

Ukraine conflict/Kiev: Klitschko reports on explosions, Kuleba on rocket attacks

According to Klitschko, there were five explosions three to five minutes apart in the evening.

At first it was unclear what exactly had happened.

There were several air raid alarms in Kiev on Friday.

Yevgenia (name changed by the editor), a contact for our editorial office* who is currently in Kyiv, reports shots, burning buildings and dead civilians.

"Russian tanks are in front of Kiev." Friday was the worst day so far, says Yevgenia.

Russia began attacking the Ukrainian capital during the night.

"We fight all day and all night."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reported "horrific Russian rocket attacks" on the capital.

According to the United Nations, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fled after Russia invaded Ukraine. 

This image from the Photo Alliance photo agency shows a building damaged by an explosion in Kiev.

Russian troops have launched the expected attack on Ukraine © Maia Mikhaluk/PA Media/dpa

Ukraine conflict: Russian army advances to Kiev - air strikes across the country

On Friday there were airstrikes across Ukraine.

In several large cities, including Kiev, people also fled to subway stations for protection.

Ukrainian troops entered Kiev to defend the capital.

This map illustrates where the Ukraine War is raging and this map shows the areas already conquered in the Ukraine War.

According to official figures, four people were killed and 15 injured in an airstrike in the Kiev region.

Videos on social networks show fighting in a residential area in northern Kiev.

The pictures show, among other things, how a tank rolls over a car whose occupant is then rescued.

From Kharkiv in the east of the country, the media and local residents reported explosions.

At Cherson in the south, Russian troops broke through Ukrainian defenses and crossed the Dnipro River.

This is explosive because it is feared that Russian troops could advance to Odessa - a strategically important port city on the Black Sea coast.

According to Ukrainian sources, Russian soldiers fired rockets at Odessa from the sea on Friday.

Infrastructure in the Mykolaiv region is also affected.

Several observation posts were damaged.

Ukraine conflict: USA reports "loss of momentum" in Russia - NATO activates defense plans

On Friday evening, meanwhile, there were reports from the United States that Russia's invasion of the Ukraine conflict is happening more slowly than planned.

Russia has made less progress than expected, reports US broadcaster Fox News, citing a US adviser.

"The Russians have lost a bit of their momentum," said an unnamed US defense official.

The war goes on.

The same goes for diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict.

The West continues to impose sanctions on Russia.

So Russia was suspended by the Council of Europe.

The Swift payment system remains a point of contention in German Russia policy.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz does not want to exclude Russia for the time being.

Meanwhile, NATO has activated its defense plans - and deployed troops to deter Russia.

And what does Vladimir Putin* do?

The Kremlin has officially submitted an offer for negotiations in the Ukraine conflict, albeit with the strict condition that the Ukrainian army surrender.