February 25, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

By Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt, Amy Woodyatt, Rob Picheta, Ed Upright, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Melissa Macaya and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 3:47 a.m. ET, February 26, 2022

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4:14 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

Ukrainian military says it's resisting Russian advance from north

From CNN's Tim Lister and Yulia Kesaieva in Kyiv

Ukraine's military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said Friday that the country's army was successfully resisting Russian forces advancing from the north.

Zaluzhnyi said Ukrainian forces had been able to repel the breakthrough of Russian troops in the Chernihiv area north of the capital, Kyiv.

Enemy vehicles were forced to retreat from Chernihiv in the direction of Sedniv and from Horodnya to Semenivka," he said.

However, it appears Russian forces are consolidating their positions to the northwest of Kyiv after taking the airbase at Hostomel on Thursday.

Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defense, Anna Malyar, tweeted Friday about a "possible invasion of the occupiers in Vorzel and surrounding settlements," which is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Kyiv.

Malyar added that Russian troops had seized two Ukrainian army vehicles, had put on Ukrainian army uniforms and were trying to advance on Kyiv.

3:37 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

In Pictures: Solidarity with Ukraine around the world

Monuments around the world have been lit up in the yellow and blue colors of the Ukrainian flag in solidarity with Ukraine following the beginning of Russia's invasion on Thursday.

In Brussels, the Cinquantenaire Park was illuminated during an emergency European Union summit on the Russia-Ukraine crisis in the Belgian capital on Thursday. Following the meeting, EU leaders unveiled a tranche of sanctions against Russia.

The Colisseum, one of Rome's most recognizable landmarks, was also lit up in Ukrainian colors on Thursday.

(Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AFP/Getty Images)

Melbourne's Flinders Street Station was lit up in yellow and blue on Friday in a show of support for Ukraine. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called Russia's invasion "brutal" and "unprovoked," on Thursday, while announcing new sanctions against Moscow.

Meanwhile, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra received a long, standing ovation when they played the Czech and Ukrainian anthems before their concert in Prague on Thursday. It is likely that many in the audience lived through the 1968 Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia.

3:20 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

UK Defense Secretary: "Our view is that Russia intends to invade the whole of Ukraine"

From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite in London

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Friday that Russia intends to take the whole of Ukraine, but that it has failed to deliver its main objectives.

"It's definitely our view that the Russians intend to invade the whole of Ukraine," Wallace told Sky News Friday.
"Our assessment as of this morning is that Russia has not taken any of its major objectives. In fact, it is behind its hopeful timetable. They've lost over 450 personnel.
"Contrary to great Russian claims, and indeed President (Vladimir) Putin's sort of vision that somehow the Ukrainians would be liberated and would be flocking to his cause, he's got that completely wrong. And the Russian army has failed to deliver on day one his main objective."

On her official Twitter account, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss described the Russian invasion as "barbaric."

"Putin’s assault on Ukraine is barbaric, unjustified and shows a callous disregard for human life. We will continue to hold Putin to account and remain steadfast in our support," Truss tweeted, reiterating the United Kingdom's solidarity with Ukraine.

3:02 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

ICC prosecutor could investigate any war crimes or acts of genocide in Ukraine

From CNN's Isaac Yee

The International Criminal Court reminded the world on Friday that it is watching Ukraine, and could investigate any "acts of genocide" and "war crimes" seen there.

“I remind all sides conducting hostilities on the territory of Ukraine that ... my office may exercise its jurisdiction over and investigate any acts of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crime committed within the territory of Ukraine since 20 February 2014 onwards,” ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan QC said in a statement.

"My office will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine," he added. "In the independent and impartial exercise of its mandate, the Office remains fully committed to the prevention of atrocity crimes and to ensuring that anyone responsible for such crimes is held accountable.”

3:02 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

Micronesia severs diplomatic ties with Russia

From CNN's Lizzy Yee

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) severed its diplomatic ties with Russia on Friday in protest at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The Federated States of Micronesia will not stand aside and will not be silent in levying its profound concern on these unjustifiable acts of aggression,” a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs of FSM said.
“As a result and in protest, the Department wishes to convey to the Embassy of the Russian Federation the decision of the Federated States of Micronesia to sever diplomatic relationship between the two countries,” it said.

2:45 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

Kyiv's deputy mayor describes trouble accessing subway station bomb shelter

From CNN's Ivana Kottasova in Kyiv

A bomb shelter at the Kyiv metro's Polytechnic Institute station was briefly inaccessible to people on Thursday night, the city’s Deputy Mayor Kostiantyn Usov said in a statement on Facebook.

Usov described being unable to immediately access the station, which has been serving as a safe place for people to congregate.

“I had to knock for about five to seven minutes, loudly enough,” he said.

Across Kyiv, red arrows painted on walls indicate the locations of the nearest bomb shelters. The city first put them up after war broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014, but they were recently repainted. (Ivana Kottasova/CNN)

The deputy mayor said police decided to close the door following a number of incidents. People who knocked and presented their identification documents were allowed to enter.

Usov asked Kyiv’s residents to report any similar incidents.

Kyiv's metro system — which has three lines and more than 50 stations — houses a number of bomb shelters, with red arrows painted on walls throughout the city pointing to the nearest one.

2:26 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

Ukrainian MP as jet planes fly overhead: "Our men and women have died for this freedom"

Ukrainian lawmaker Lesia Vasylenko speaks to CNN from Ukraine on February 25 as aircraft fly overhead. (CNN)

Ukrainian lawmaker Lesia Vasylenko was urging the international community to give assistance on Friday when she was interrupted by the sound of jets flying overhead.

"If this continues at the level it is happening now, these air strikes happening, the tanks rolling in, Ukraine will not be able to stand for long against such a massive Russian aggression, and we need assistance," she told CNN from Kyiv. She added that more sanctions are needed, as well as more weapons in Ukraine and the closure of the country's airspace.

She paused for a while, glancing out of her window off camera. "I'm sorry ... as we speak, there were several planes flying in the direction of the city. And we know from the President's address just several minutes ago that air strikes are to begin right about now," she said, with a rumbling noise in the background.

"We are all exhausted from this, because we have helicopters, we have airplanes, fighter jets, flying all around all the time. And every time we hear a noise, it's like looking out of the window, where is it going? Is it going to hit or is it going to miss?"

She added that despite the fear, she also felt faith "in the Ukrainian army and in the Ukrainian people."

"People here are brave and are not up to giving up their country," she said. "We do not want to live under somebody's rule, whoever it is. We are a free people. We have fought for our freedom. Our men and women have died for this freedom."

2:22 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

Ukraine's President Zelensky says Russia will be forced to talk, thanks Russian protesters

From CNN's Tim Lister in Kyiv

A person carries a banner during an anti-war protest, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Moscow, Russia February 24. The banner reads "No to war. Freedom to political prisoners". (Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters)

In his video message to the Ukrainian people early Friday morning, President Volodymyr Zelensky said "sooner or later, Russia will have to talk to us about ending this military operation, about ending this invasion, and the sooner this conversation begins, the less Russia's losses will be."

Striking a defiant note even as Russian forces advance on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, Zelensky said: "We are on our land, we have the truth, they cannot destroy our character. Russian 'Kalibr' missiles are helpless against our freedom."

Zelensky also welcomed protests in Russia against the invasion.

"To all citizens of the Russian Federation who are coming out to protest, I want to say we see you. It means that you heard us," he said.

On Thursday, anti-war protesters held small demonstrations across Russia, according to independent media and monitoring organizations — even as they faced arrest and police threatened to disperse crowds by physical force.

Russia bars demonstrations without a permit, but Russians may stage individual, single-person protests.

As of Thursday evening Moscow time, at least 1,237 people had been detained in at least 44 cities across Russia, independent monitoring group OVD-Info reported.

2:16 a.m. ET, February 25, 2022

It's early morning in Kyiv, where residents are waking up to flames and falling debris

From CNN's Ivana Kottasova in Kyiv

The sun rises over Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Friday amid Russia's invasion of its former Soviet neighbor. (Jon Steward/CNN)

Ukrainians are waking up on Friday morning to the realization that the previous day was not just a bad dream. Their country is being invaded by Russia, their capital city targeted by strikes.

A number of loud bangs rang through Kyiv at daybreak and air raid sirens repeatedly sounded on the deserted streets.

An apartment building on the left bank of the city was ablaze overnight after apparently being hit by debris.

An apartment building was on fire in Kiev Friday after apparently being hit by debris.

In another incident, a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet was shot down over the capital. Pictures from the emergency services showed a two-story home on fire after fragments of a plane fell on it, although it was unclear if they were from the Su-27 jet.

While an overnight curfew officially lifted at 7 a.m., the city remained eerily quiet with many residents choosing to stay inside. Many others have already escaped Kyiv — the roads heading west of the capital were jam-packed on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said the country’s airborne assault troops blew up a bridge over the Teteriv River at Ivankiv, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Kyiv, in an effort to prevent a column of Russian forces from advancing toward the capital.

While the ministry said the Russian advance was stopped, the information will provide little comfort to the residents sheltering in place in Kyiv.