Military vehicles in Kyiv.

Military vehicles on the streets of Kyiv. | Zurab Kurtsikidze

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterLondon27/02/2022 07:36
TW
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Reports from Ukraine say that an oil depot in Vasylkiv, which is to the south of Kyiv, has been hit and set ablaze. There are concerns about toxic fumes, and residents are being warned to close their windows and stay indoors.

An aerial bombardment of Kyiv, which had been feared overnight, has not materialised, but sirens were blaring from early in the morning after a Russian strike in the west of Kyiv. The deputy mayor, Mykola Povoroznyk, nevertheless says that the situation in the city remains calm and under the control of Ukrainian forces.

Russian vehicles have entered Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, where a natural gas pipeline has been hit. The southern city of Nova Kakhovka has been taken. Analysts suggest that the Russian advance from the south is proving to be the most effective.

The European Union, the United States and other countries will be cutting off a number of Russian banks from Swift, the international payment system, and the assets of Russia's central bank are to be frozen.

YouTube's parent company Alphabet is suspending monetisation on its platforms for Russian state media outlets. State media make millions of dollars through ads on YouTube and on Google services.