At least 137 Ukrainian citizens are believed dead after the first day of Russian military activity in Ukraine – with hundreds more believed to be injured.

Initial reports indicate over 150 missiles have been fired as Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv was struck by missiles for the second night in a row as families attempted to flee the city and Russian forces strike deeper into Ukrainian territory.

The international community has major concerns over Russian troops invading Kyiv within hours after the Russian military swiftly occupied the Chernobyl nuclear plant.

 

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European leaders met late last night for an extraordinary meeting to determine “severe” sanctions in the face of Russian aggression.

The sanctions will target the country’s energy, financial and transport sectors, with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen saying sanctions “will have maximum impact on the Russian economy and the political elite”.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky told EU leaders via videolink that “he does not know if he will be able to speak” with them another time.

The mayor of Kiev, Vitaly Klitschko, shared an image of a home on fire after being struck by a missile fragment. 

“According to preliminary data, three people were injured, one of them in critical condition, as a result of a rocket fragmentation in a residential building on Košice Street, 7-A,” he said.