Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps – latest updates

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its third day. Russian troops are driving deeper into the country having attacked Ukraine from three directions: its northern border with Belarus, the eastern frontier with Russia, and in the south from Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula Moscow annexed in 2014.

Saturday February 26

There was fighting overnight in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa. Areas near Sumy, Poltavaand Mariupol were hit by airstrikes, Ukrainian sources told Reuters. A witness in Melitopol confirmed a Russian claim that the city was under their control.

The center of Kyiv was still under Ukrainian control, its leaders said. Witnesses reported gunfire near government buildings and the Ukrainian army said it had repelled an attack on a base in the city. Witnesses also hear frequent artillery blasts, and a residential building near Zhulyany airport struck by a missile.

Russian troops attempted to attack the Kyiv hydroelectric power plant; there were conflicting reports of who controlled the site.

Russian and Ukrainian military claims cannot be independently verified.

The civilian exodus from Kyiv continued on Friday afternoon. Traffic was heavy on roads leading out of the capital and crowds gathered in the central Kyiv train station as residents scrambled to escape the city. Many people headed west. But that direction also carried risks, with reports on Friday of air sirens in Vinnytsia and air strikes reported in Zhitomir.

Friday February 25th

Early on Thursday, Ukraine’s army confirmed it had lost control of the northeastern city of Konotopbut had held up the Russian advance on the capital Kyiv north of Chernihiv. Ukrainian forces overnight destroyed bridges north of the city to impede the Russian advance.

Hostomel airport, 10km northwest of the capital, changed hands several times over the course of Thursday and overnight. Ukrainian sources said Russian IL-76 transport aircraft thought to be carrying paratroopers to the airport returned to Gomel in Belarus after the battle prevented them from landing. On Friday afternoon Russia claimed it had captured the airport.

Russian forces were in Kyiv’s northwestern suburbs on Friday. Traffic was heavy on roads leading out of the city as civilians fled. Officials urged residents in the Obolon district of Kyiva populous residential area, to stay indoors amid reports that Russian armored vehicles had entered the neighborhood.

There were battles around KharkivUkraine’s second largest citywhich Ukrainian officials said was still under its control. There was also fighting in the eastern Donbass region, where government troops have fought Russian-backed separatists for eight years.

There was fighting in the outskirts of the southern city of Melitopolas Russian forces advanced north from the Crimean peninsula, according to a Ukrainian army statement.

Russian forces also captured Zmiinyi (Snake) Island in the Black Sea south of Odesa. The Russian defense ministry said 82 Ukrainian soldiers there had surrendered, while Ukrainian officials said all 13 border guards on the island were killed by fire from a Russian warship.

Russian and Ukrainian military claims cannot be independently verified.

Thursday February 24

Russia’s multipronged invasion suggested it was to advance south towards Kyiv from Belarus, encircle Ukraine’s forces in the east, and cleave the country from the Russian border to the Black Sea.

Putin on Tuesday February 22 recognized the separatist governments in Luhansk and Donetsktwo provinces in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, and ordered Russian troops to enter them. On Thursday February 24 Moscow began a full-scale invasion of the country.