Russia will respond to the seizure of money of Russian citizens and companies abroad by seizing funds of foreigners and foreign companies in Russia, RIA news agency quoted Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the security council, as saying on Saturday.

The Eiffel Tower lit up on Friday in the national blue-and-yellow colours of Ukraine, at the request of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo which Hidalgo said was to express solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the wake of Russia's attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday it was "a crucial moment" to decide on Ukraine's membership of the European Union, as Russia continued to invade its neighbour.

The Western countries are sending weapons to Ukraine, tweeted President Volodymyr Zelensky after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron today.

Canadian liquor stores are removing Russian vodka and other Russian made alcoholic beverages from their shelves in an act of condemnation over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution on Friday that would have deplored Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, while China abstained from the vote - a move Western countries view as a win for showing Russia's international isolation.

Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine’s capital early Saturday as explosions reverberated through the city and the president urged the country to “stand firm” against the siege that could determine its future. He refused American help to evacuate, saying: “The fight is here.”

Fighting was reported in the east, west and south of Kyiv early today, the third day of Russian invasion of Ukraine, The Guardian reports quoting multiple sources.

US President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts agreed Friday to send thousands of troops backed by air and naval support to protect allies near Russia and Ukraine in response to President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade, the organization’s top civilian official said.

The European Union has agreed to place Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on its list of sanctioned individuals following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday.

The Covid-19 pandemic continued its strong retreat this week around the world, with the number of cases cut by half since their peak a month ago.

Gunfire has been heard in central Kyiv and there are reports of heavy fighting in the city’s northern suburbs after Ukraine said it expected a Russian armoured attack on the capital and its outskirts.

Ukraine’s president said Friday his country had been left on its own to fight Russia after the Kremlin launched a large-scale invasion.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine risks making President Vladimir Putin an international pariah, but he does not fear such isolation -- quite the contrary, experts say.

Kyiv under attack

Ukrainian forces yesterday fought off Russian troops in the capital Kyiv on the second day of an invasion that has claimed dozens of lives, as the EU approved sanctions targeting President Vladimir Putin.

Seven people died and dozens more were injured when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Sumatra island yesterday, with residents shuttling loved ones to safety as buildings crumbled around them.

More than 50,000 people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, the United Nations refugee chief said Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the Ukrainian military to seize power in their country on Friday, a day after Moscow launched an invasion of its southern neighbour.

Ukraine's Defence Ministry said on Friday that more than 1,000 Russian servicemen had been killed so far in the Ukrainian conflict.