Volodymyr Zelenskiy to nation: 'we must withstand tonight' – video

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has said to his nation on Friday that 'we must withstand tonight' as he warned of an impending Russian assault on Kyiv and other cities across the country.

In his address, Zelenskiy declared that Ukraine 'cannot lose the capital'.

The invasion of Ukraine began early on Thursday with missile strikes on cities and military bases, followed by a multi-pronged ground assault that rolled troops in from separatist-held areas in the east; from the southern region of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014; and from Belarus to the north.

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