The Russian army is advancing in Ukraine for the second day running. Fighting is raging near Kiev. The Ukrainian capital has been under a misile attack all night. Many residents of Kyiv spent the night in bunkers or in metro stations.

On the first day of the Russian invasion, 137 civilians and soldiers were killed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. According to the Ukrainian army, 800 Russian soldiers were killed. Ukraine’s head of state said that Russian sabotage groups had entered Kyiv. In a video address to the nation, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that his country had been left alone to fight Russia. Zelensky said that he was “target No 1 for Russian forces, followed by his family”. The Russian army has sieged Kharkiv and is advancing south to Odessa.

White House Press Secretary Jen Saki said that according to credible repors, the Russian forces are holding staff of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant hostage.

US President Joe Biden has announced another package of severe economic sanctions against Russia. He also conceded a lack of Western unity for enacting an even tougher measure. The EU has also adopted another package of sanctions against Russia in 5 key areas, but Germany, Italy, Hungary and Cyprus resisted calls for Russian banks to be excluded from the international payment network SWIFT.

The Russian police have detained almost 1,600 participants in anti-war protests in 51 towns across Russia, France Presse reports. Over 700 have been arrested in Moscow, and over 340 in St. Petersburg.