Russian Forces Capture Kyiv Aerodrome; Ukraine President Vows Not To Flee

Kyiv: As Russian forces advanced towards the Ukrainian capital, with missiles pounding Kyiv on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for help from the international community, saying that sanctions announced so far were not enough.

Zelensky vowed to stay in Kyiv.

“The enemy has marked me down as the number one target,” Zelenskiy said in a video message. “My family is the number two target. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state.”

Russia’s Defence ministry said forces have captured the Hostomel aerodrome in northwest Kyiv and dropped paratroopers in the strategic area. During the operation, more than 200 people were eliminated from Ukraine’s special units.

Russia also claimed that its military had blocked access to Kyiv from the west, while separatist forces in east Ukraine attacked Ukrainian army positions with the support of Russian army.

The Russian military assured Ukraine it will not strike in residential areas of Kyiv.

However, images of residential buildings being damaged in Kyiv were doing the rounds on social media.

According to a Ukrainian official, their outnumbered troops were having to defend positions on four fronts. Ukraine said Russia aims to capture Kyiv and topple the government, which Putin regards as an American puppet.

Russian troops earlier seized the former nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, in north of Kyiv, as they advanced on the capital city from Belarus.