Fighting continues between Ukrainian and Russian forces over the occupation of Kiev
Russian and Ukrainian forces are battling for control of the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, on Saturday, with explosions and gunfire heard. City officials imposed a curfew from 5pm to 6am.
Amnesty International says Russia may have committed war crimes by invading Ukraine.
Amnesty International's Secretary-General, Agnes Calamard, said in a statement that the Russian military had "blatantly disregarded the value of civilian lives" by using weapons of mass destruction, such as ballistic missiles and other explosive devices, in densely populated areas. He added: "Some of these attacks may have been war crimes. The Russian government has denied the allegations in a statement issued Friday stating "Similar, baseless allegations concerning Russia's intelligence have been made more than once.
Western officials praised Ukraine's forces, but warned that the situation was changing. They also say the situation could change rapidly, especially since two-thirds of Russia's 190,000 troops gathered on the Ukrainian border have not yet taken part in the fighting.
They also warned that Russia could use false information to destabilize the situation on the ground and intimidate Ukrainian forces into surrendering.
A U.S. official said Friday that "there are indications that Russia is conducting a rumor-mongering campaign by spreading false news about the massive surrender of Ukrainian troops."
"Our information also indicates that Russia is planning to threaten to kill their family members if the Ukrainian troops do not surrender," he said.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden approved the State Department's offer of কোটি 350 million in military aid to Ukraine.
To help Kiev's defense against Russian troops, Ukrainian officials are urging the country's citizens. The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a U.S. military base.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier predicted that the attack on Kiev would intensify on Saturday.
"We need to pay special attention to Kiev," he said. We cannot allow capital to be lost. "
Zelensky said on Twitter on Saturday that he had held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. "Weapons and equipment sent by our allies are on their way to Ukraine," he wrote on Twitter. The anti-war coalition is working. "
Russia's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that the town of Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine had been captured by Russian troops.
U.S. and Western officials said Friday that Russian forces advancing on Kiev and other key cities have slowed down as part of a plan to "behead" the Ukrainian government. In tandem with the battlefield, the West and Russia have intensified their information dissemination.
Speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, a senior U.S. defense official said Russian forces had fired more than 200 ballistic and cruise missiles since the attack began. Most of these were targeted at the Ukrainian military.
However, the official added that intelligence indicates that the operation was not going as well as Russian military commanders had hoped.
In particular, the Russian aggression in Kiev is thought to have been thwarted.
The official added that Ukraine's military control system was "intact".
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