Ukraine has survived two days of intense fighting with Russian forces, including a series of battles with outcomes that show the situation is definitely not following Vladimir Putin’s plans. Reports out of the beleaguered country claim that whole columns of Russian tanks have been smashed near Chernigiv in the north. Images of an aging MiG-29 shooting down a highly regarded Russian SU-35 fighter are helping to fuel stories of “The Ghost of Kyiv”—a heroic Ukrainian pilot who supposedly has shot down six Russian jets using a fighter built in the 1970s.
However, as of Friday morning, a large number of Russian forces are on the outskirts of Kyiv. Government officials have reported that the city has been entered by “sabotage squads” meant to start fires, plant explosives, and generate fear—a step outlined in what has been put forward as the Russian plan for Kyiv. Adding to the confusion are rumors that some Russian forces are wearing Ukrainian uniforms. Images on Friday morning show Russian military transports mingling with civilian traffic in the Kyiv suburbs. The battle for Kyiv … is just beginning.
Overnight, Russia managed to get a surface to air missile system close enough to Kyiv that a missile took out a Ukrainian fighter jet above the city, raining debris onto an apartment building. A pitched battle of opposing armored units took place near the crossroads town of Ivankiv, and Russia claims to have retaken the much fought over Hostomel airport. Meanwhile, both Sweden and Estonia announced that they are sending military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
On Friday morning, Putin offered to send a delegation to Minsk to meet with negotiators from Ukraine. However, this offer seems to be nothing more than a demand that Ukraine surrender.
Friday, Feb 25, 2022 · 2:46:43 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
The Ukrainian foreign minister has a message for European leaders—actually, for Germany, which is the only nation holding this up:
“Every year at ceremonies you repeat the words: ‘Never again.’ Time to prove them. Russia is just now waging a terrible aggressive war in Europe. Here is your test for ‘Never Again’ — disconnect Russian from SWIFT and isolate it everywhere!”
Friday, Feb 25, 2022 · 3:51:59 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Ukrainian forces have reportedly suffered a heavy loss near Kherson. This was the site of intense fighting over the last two days, with Ukraine apparently pushing back a Russian advance on Thursday afternoon. But multiple reports on Friday show Ukrainian military vehicles destroyed or abandoned near earlier battle site.
Friday, Feb 25, 2022 · 3:53:43 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
Putin’s video call to Ukrainian soldiers trying to get them to lay down arms and side with Russia over their own government. This has completely nothing to do with the fact that Putin expected to roll into Kyiv and is finding it a lot harder than he thought (and yes, that was sarcasm).
In the city of Kyiv, defense officials have handed out 18,000 automatic weapons to citizen volunteers and thousands more are still lined up seeking to help in the war effort. Meanwhile, thousands have moved to shelters and subway stations to avoid missiles and bombs that have become more frequent. With Russian forces entering the city, Kyiv is now in what the government is calling “defense phase.” Officials have asked citizens not to film the movement of Ukrainian forces around the city, with an awareness that Russia is also seeing all the images posted to social media.
Russia has claimed to be avoiding civilian areas, but missiles from the rapidly firing GRAD systems have struck a kindergarten and an orphanage. The number of casualties is not known, but some children are reportedly among the dead. Ukraine is sending evidence of these actions to the International Criminal Court for prosecution as war crimes. One person on the ground reports 17 children have been killed.
In the city of Chernihiv, where there was fierce fighting on Thursday, Russian forces have now ringed the city. Russian officials say the city is now “under siege.” Russian forces now hold the city’s airport and all major highways surrounding the city of 300,000.
Sabotage squads, like those that have entered Kyiv, are also active in other Ukrainian cities, including Mariupol, where a Ukrainian unit in combat with Russian soldiers was joined by the city’s mayor. Captured Russian materials show plans to knock out power supplies, including damaging dams and hydro power stations.
Across Ukraine, multiple bridges were blown up overnight to slow Russian progress. These include two north of Kyiv that may still be helping to keep armored units from reaching the city.
A statement from Ukrainian defense officials claimed that in the first full day of fighting, Ukrainian forces have destroyed Russian 130 combat vehicles, including 30 tanks.
After fighting on both Wednesday and Thursday in the exclusion zone around Chernobyl, radiation levels north and east of Kyiv are now said to have reached high levels. Though there is little threat from the reactor itself, there is a large amount of low and medium level waste in the area, including fine particles, which will have been disturbed and spread by the fighting, posing a health risk to residents and to soldiers on both sides.
Overnight, Putin spoke with Chinese party leader Xi Jinping, with Chinese state television reporting that Xi urged Putin to negotiate a solution to the conflict. However, the details of the conversation are not known.
In one of the bizarre overnight developments, the head of the Russian space agency appears to be threatening that Russia could cause the International Space Station to crash into the United States or a NATO ally.
Meanwhile, there have been explosions in Russia that are supposedly Ukrainian forces striking back. No details yet available.
One sighting of the supposed “Ghost of Kyiv”:
Perhaps the most iconic image of the war so far: The Sunflower babushka. A translation of the woman’s conversation is like razor-edged poetry.
A Russian soldier seeming very satisfied as GRAD systems hurl missiles to plow the earth ahead.
Video of the speech from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealing directly to the Russian people. Reports out of Moscow on Thursday showed that this speech was broadcast on Russia’s single independent news channels, as well as streaming services, and was being heard.
Residential buildings hit by Russian missiles or artillery shells.
Supposed strike by Ukraine against a site inside Russia.
What those sabotage squads are supposedly up to in the Kyiv suburbs.
And in case there was any doubt that forces on the ground know exactly what Putin is up to …
