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Photos and videos of Ukraine’s capital show an ongoing effort by Russian military forces to edge toward Kyiv and take control of the city while its residents stand ready to defend their democracy.
Residents of Kyiv were encouraged to shelter underground in the city’s train tunnels as explosions and street fighting took place overnight into Saturday morning, marking the third day of fighting as Russia attempts to take control of the Ukrainian government.
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“The fights are ongoing in many cities and districts of our country, but we know that we are defending our county, land, future of our children. Kyiv and the key towns around our capital are being controlled by our army,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Saturday address.
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Zelensky added that Russia “used all their force” against Ukraine on Friday into Saturday morning, including “missiles, jet fighters, drones, artillery, armored equipment, saboteurs, paratroopers.”
Russian missiles on Friday struck schools, apartment buildings and bridges, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
“They attack residential areas, using jet artillery at times, trying to destroy the energy centers,” he said. “Their tactic is very sneaky. The destroyed residential buildings by their heavy artillery is an ultimate argument for the world to stop the occupant’s invasion together with us.”
“Ukrainian people have already earned and have a right to become a member of EU, and it will be a key testimony of the support of our country.”
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In a video posted to Twitter on Saturday, Zelenskyy said “the fight is here” in Kyiv after he refused an American offer to evacuate.
“We aren’t going to lay down weapons. We will protect the country,” he said. “Our weapon is our truth, and our truth is that it’s our land, our country, our children. And we will defend all of that.”
The Ukrainian government has been equipping its citizens with firearms so that they can defend themselves in the event of attacks against civilians.
Zelenskyy has said that he and his family are Vladimir Putin’s first targets as the Russian president attempts to take over Ukraine.
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Putin has emphasized how he wants to “denazify” Ukraine, despite the fact that Ukraine fought against Nazi Germany in World War II, and Zelenskyy is a Jewish president whose family members survived the Holocaust, according to the Kyiv Post.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
