Significant explosions were seen from Beresteiska metro station in the west of Kyiv

The British Ministry of Defence said they believe Kyiv, home to 1.4 million people, is close to being encircled as the Russians advance from all sides.




Kyiv's streets were empty on Friday night as people sought shelter in the city's subway system. Many had fled, with buses and trains out of the city packed with people desperate to escape, and long lines of traffic choking the roads.




In Cherkasy, home to 270,000 people 120 miles south of Kyiv, video on social media showed people in a basement on Friday night, resolutely singing the national anthem as they awaited the onslaught.




In New York, on Friday night, a United Nations resolution that called on Moscow to halt its attack on Ukraine and withdraw its troops was vetoed by Russia - a permanent member of the Security Council. China, India and the UAE abstained.




Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, urged Ukraine's troops on Friday to overthrow their own government and begin to negotiate with the Kremlin.




'It looks like it will be easier for us to come to terms with you than with this gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis,' he said.




There was little sign that Ukrainian generals were tempted, and Russia appears to have been somewhat taken aback at the scale of Ukrainian resistance and their ability to defend their country.




There was no doubt, however, that Russia's overwhelming military superiority would soon come into effect.




With 900,000 troops, Russia has the fourth largest military in the world, and more than a decade of reforms and procurement has made it a dangerous opponent.




Ukraine has just 361,000 troops, although Zelensky on Thursday ordered a full mobilization of troops and banned men aged 18-60 from leaving the country, in readiness for a whole-nation effort.