Russia Invades Ukraine: Series of explosions near Kiev metro station

by Editor | Feb 26, 2022

Over 137 people, including civilians, have so far been killed as the Russian offensive entered second day on Friday, Ukrainian President said

Ukraine Russia War Live Updates: Russian tanks entered in Ukraine Capital Kiev for the first time Friday even as large scale protest against the war is reported from different parts of Russia and around the world.

Those who are protesting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine include prominent Russians, journalists, celebrities, musicians and others. More than 1800 people have been arrested for protesting against the Kremlin’s policy.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said over 137 people, including civilians, have so far been killed as the Russian offensive entered second day on Friday, adding he himself faces threat to his life. Here are the live updates:

11:25 am Feb 26	Series of explosions near Kiev metro station located next to military facility Videos have been circulating online showing what appears to be a series of explosions in the Ukrainian capital on Saturday night. The blasts are reportedly concentrated in the north-west area of Kiev, RT reported. The blasts reportedly took place near Beresteiska metro station, which is located next to a military facility. An eyewitness can be heard saying in one of the videos shared online that the sounds of explosions appear to come from the direction of the base, RT reported. Another video purports to show a blaze raging in the middle of the road. Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine is now in its third day after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military action aimed at “demilitarizing” and “denazifying” the country.
01:30 am Feb 26	Russia warns Sweden and Finland against joining NATO A video clip of Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman’s speech has gone viral on social media as she appears to issue a threat aimed at Sweden and Finland, saying it would have “serious military-political repercussions” if they join NATO. “Finland and Sweden should not base their security damaging the security of other countries,” Maria said in a press conference while reflecting on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the intentions of Russia going forward. “Clearly (the) accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO, which is first and foremost a military alliance, would have serious military-political repercussions that would demand a response from our country,” she said according to Newsweek. This comes after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the country was receiving support from both countries. “Discussed with (Finnish President Sauli Niinisto) countering the aggressor. Informed about our defense, insidious shelling of Kiev,” he wrote in a tweet on Friday, the report said.
01:15 am Feb 26	Radiation spike at Chernobyl nuclear plant A radiation spike has been recorded near Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant which has been seized by Russian forces, monitoring data shows, BBC reported. Invading Russian troops took control of the plant — the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986 — on Thursday, Ukraine said. Radiation levels increased about 20-fold on Thursday, monitoring stations there reported, as per BBC report. But experts say another major nuclear disaster there is “extremely unlikely”. The rise was caused by heavy military vehicles stirring contaminated soil in the 4,000-square km (2,485 square-mile) exclusion zone surrounding the abandoned plant, Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate reported. The biggest spike was recorded close to the damaged reactor. Radiation levels are continuously monitored there — measured as a dose that you would receive per hour in a location.
00:45 am Feb 26	Russia targeted orphanages and nurseries: Ukraine Ukraine has made claims that Russian forces have attacked orphanages and nurseries in the country, Sky News reported. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter (which has been translated into English): “Today’s Russian attacks on kindergartens and orphanages are war crimes and violations of the Rome Statute. “Together with the Office of the Attorney General, we are collecting these and other materials, which we will immediately transfer to The Hague. Responsibility is inevitable,” Sky News reported. A reporter on the ground has also claimed to have images from the alleged attack on a kindergarten – which was being used at the time as a shelter.
	00:15 am Feb 26	Ukraine Prez Volodymyr Zelensky says he could be killed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky had an ominous warning for his European counterparts in a video conference call on Thursday night, Sky News reported. According to a journalist at Israel’s Walla News, he told other leaders: “This might be the last time you see me alive.” The Ukrainian presidential advisor earlier warned that Russia wants to kill Zelensky if it takes Ukraine’s capital. It’s believed Russia is planning to install a puppet government in Ukraine should it successfully capture Kiev, the report said. It came as Ukraine’s President admitted that he is ‘target number one’ for Russian assassins in his capital, while his family is ‘the number two goal’ for Putin’s hitmen.
	11:30 pm Feb 25	Chechen special forces given orders to kill Ukrainian officials A squad of Chechen special forces ‘hunters’ has been unleashed in Ukraine to detain or kill a set of specific Ukrainian officials, Daily Mail reported. Each soldier has reportedly been given a special ‘deck of cards’ with Ukrainian officials’ photos and descriptions on them, a Moscow Telegram channel with links to the security establishment reported, as per the Daily Mail report. The list is of officials and security officers suspected of ‘crimes’ by the Russian Investigative Committee, the report added. The Chechen squad is thought to be in a Ukraine forest and has allegedly been given an ‘order to kill’ if those on the wanted list cannot be detained, the report said. There is speculation that those identified by Moscow as ‘Nazis’ would also be on the hunted list. Putin had previously said that a key aim of invading Ukraine was to ‘deNazify’ the country.
Russian tanks in Ukrainian Capital Kiev for the first time The sound of gunfire has echoed through Ukraine’s capital Kiev as Russian tanks were filmed entering the city for the first time, BBC reported. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence called on those living in the northern outskirts, where the tanks were seen, to make fire bombs “to neutralise the enemy”. The European Union has announced new sanctions to freeze Vladimir Putin’s personal assets in Europe, BBC reported.
07:30 pm Feb 25	In viral video, Ukrainian soldiers say good-bye to their loved ones After video of a father saying good-bye to his son went viral Thursday – the first day of Russia’s “Special Operation”, heart breaking videos and photos of Ukrainian soldiers saying good-bye to their loved ones are setting internet and social media on fire. Watch: Meanwhile, reports of anti-war protests that started from Moscow and London are now coming from more places of world.

07:15 pm Feb 25	With tears in eyes, an old Russian man shows this placard
07:00 pm Feb 25	A man in front of Russian embassy in Warsaw displays this placard On Thursday, a large group of people were seen in Warsaw singing national anthem of Ukraine to show their solidarity.