Here's what you need to know about the Ukraine crisis right now:
Headlines
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed to stay in Kyiv as his troops battled Russian invaders who are advancing toward the capital in the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.
A picture was emerging of fierce fighting across multiple fronts. Russian forces had captured the Chernobyl former nuclear power plant on the route between Belarus and Kyiv, a Ukrainian presidential adviser said.
Ukrainian forces downed an aircraft over Kyiv, which then crashed into a residential building, said Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to the interior minister. A missile hit a Ukrainian border post in the southeast, killing and wounding some guards, the border service said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his aim was to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine. He said any hindrance would be met by "such consequences that you have never encountered in your history".
US President Joe Biden said Putin's action was about naked aggression. He unveiled new sanctions on its banks and wealthy elite and export restrictions.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he held a "frank, direct and quick" phone call with Putin on Thursday to ask him to stop military operations because Zelenskiy had asked him to.
Britain, Canada, the EU, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and others unveiled sanctions against Russia, targeting banks, military exports and members of Putin's inner circle.
Putin "must and will fail," EU leaders said as they agreed new sanctions.
Ukraine needs more weapons to defend against Russian missiles, its ambassador to Japan said.
Thousands of Ukrainians sought to escape to neighbouring countries.
Former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko said he would take up arms alongside his brother and fellow Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko for Ukraine.
Stock markets tumbled and Russia's rouble hit an all-time low. US stocks turned positive as the West detailed its sanctions against Russia.
Quotes
"They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state," Zelenskiy said.
"Horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv," Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter. "Last time our capital experienced anything like this was in 1941 when it was attacked by Nazi Germany."
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