Ukraine in fierce fight against advancing Russian forces

over 3 years in Jamaica Observer

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukrainian defence forces put up fierce resistance Saturday, slowing the advance of the larger and better-armed Russian military closing in on Kyiv, the capital. European nations and the US rushed assistance to the country, including more ammunition and weapons, and announced another round of powerful sanctions aimed at further isolating Russia from the global financial system.Terrified men, women, and children sought safety inside and underground, and the Government maintained a 39-hour curfew to keep people off the streets. More than 150,000 Ukrainians fled for Poland, Moldova, and other neighbouring countries, and the United Nations warned the number could grow to 4 million if fighting escalates."We will fight for as long as needed to liberate our country," President Volodymyr Zelensky promised.To aid Ukraine's ability to hold out, the US pledged an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine on Saturday, including anti-tank weapons, body armour, and small arms. Germany said it would send missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged country and that it would close its airspace to Russian planes.The US, European Union, and United Kingdom agreed to block "selected" Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, which moves money around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions worldwide. They also agreed to impose "restrictive measures" on Russia's central bank.The measures were announced jointly as part of a new round of financial sanctions meant to impose a severe cost on Moscow for the invasion.It was unclear how much territory Russian forces have seized. Britain's Ministry of Defence said, "The speed of the Russian advance has temporarily slowed, likely as a result of acute logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance."A senior US defence official said more than half of the Russian combat power that was massed along Ukraine's borders had entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US assessments, did not provide further details.Even as Zelensky called on his countrymen to join the fight, it was impossible to know how effective Ukraine has been in slowing the Russian advance. A curfew in Kyiv set to last through Monday morning forced everyone inside, though the relative quiet of the capital was sporadically broken by gunfire.

Mentioned in this news
Share it on