According to the latest reports, at about 2 o'clock local time on the 26th, there were many explosions in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. According to the announcement of the Ukrainian armed forces, fierce fighting is taking place in Vasilikiv, about 28 kilometers south of Kiev.
Russia: Blockade of western Kiev
On the 25th local time, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a message saying that the Russian army has blockaded the western part of the Ukrainian capital Kiev City, as well as the city of Sumy and Konottop.
Russian ambassador to the European Union Chizov said that Russian troops will not stay in Ukraine for a long time and "hope that Russian troops can complete this operation as soon as possible and will withdraw later."
A spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry said the Russian military has paralyzed 211 Ukrainian military infrastructures, including 17 command posts and communication centers, 19 sets of S-300 air defense missile systems and the Wasp field air defense system, 39 radar stations, and a large number of tanks, military vehicles and warplanes. The spokesman also said that during the military operation, Russian forces seized a large number of weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western countries in the past few months.
Russian President Putin called on the Ukrainian army to remove the leadership of Kiev in a televised speech on the 25th, proposing that "the Ukrainian military will take power in its own hands."
Ukraine: Shot down a Russian aircraft
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced that in the early morning of February 26, local time, the Ukrainian C-300 air defense missile system shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft and a helicopter.
In the early morning of the 26th local time, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said that "tonight they (the Russians) are trying to launch a storm in the capital", indicating that the Russian army will occupy Kiev at night.
In addition, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy posted a video on social networking sites on the 25th that the Ukrainian president and government officials are still in Kiev. On the evening of February 25, local time, the first batch of refugees from Ukraine arrived at Vienna Central Station.
The Ukrainian government decided to issue 400 billion hryvnia ($13.7 billion) of internal "war bonds" in phases to strengthen national security and defense. From March 1, the salaries of soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be increased by 30%. Primary and secondary schools throughout Ukraine are closed for two weeks.
Lay down your arms and stand ready to negotiate
According to Reuters, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy asked Israeli Prime Minister Bennett to help mediate the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy's press secretary, Nikki Frog, said Ukraine and Russia were negotiating on the location and timing of the negotiation process and that Ukraine was ready to "discuss the issue of ceasefire and peace."
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Ukrainian side refused to hold talks and proposed to discuss the issue again on the 26th.
On February 25, local time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that as long as the Ukrainian armed forces respond to the call and lay down their weapons, Russia is ready to negotiate at any time.
A number of countries have announced the imposition of sanctions
US White House press secretary Psaki said at a press conference on the 25th that the United States imposed sanctions on Russian President Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. This is the fifth consecutive day since the 21st that the United States has imposed sanctions on Russia and the Donbass region
Previously, the United States twice imposed sanctions on large Financial Institutions in Russia, and imposed sanctions on companies and responsible persons responsible for the construction of the "Nord Stream-2" natural gas pipeline project.
The US Treasury Department issued a statement on the 25th that the United States also included Russian Defense Minister Shoigu and Russian First Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Gerasimov on the sanctions list.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that in addition to the sanctions plan against Russia that the United Kingdom has already announced, the United Kingdom will immediately impose sanctions on Russian President Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. At the same time, Canada supports the removal of Russia from the Swift system of the Institute for Worldwide Banking Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).
On February 25, local time, two officials of the US Congress confirmed that the White House has asked Congress to approve additional funds of $6.4 billion to help respond to Russia's ongoing military operations against Ukraine.
According to Agence France-Presse, the newly released Harvard CAPS-Harris poll shows that US President Joe Biden's approval rating continues to decline, hitting a new low of 38%.
The statement issued by NATO stated that it would continue to provide "political support" to Ukraine and reiterated its firm support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
NATO is now making a number of additional defensive deployments to the eastern part of the alliance.
Hu Xijin: The United States has stepped on the Russian border with NATO military boots
What is the future? On the evening of February 25, the China News Network invited experts to interpret the progress of the situation in Ukraine and Russia, and Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of the Global Times, said in a conversation with a reporter from China News Agency that the goal of Russia's military operation is most likely to quickly take Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.
He said bluntly that the war will certainly not be the kind of war that advances on all fronts, one city after another, and if it is fought like that, it will drag on for a long time, and it may be a disastrous situation for Russia. Then it is possible that this war is russian target Kiev.
Hu Xijin believes that the cause of the war is that the United States dominated European policy toward Russia, using NATO to press Russia step by step, "stepping on the border of Russia with general boots."
Hu Xijin said that [NATO] wants to take Ukraine now, and then there may be Georgia in the future, which is equivalent to stepping on NATO's military boots all the way to Russia's border, which Russia cannot accept. The general trend of NATO's eastward expansion has not changed, the overall strategic squeeze on Russia has not changed, and if NATO's eastward expansion does not stop, then this war will be a matter of time sooner or later.
What have chinese enterprise employees and Chinese students experienced in Ukraine?
On February 25, Beijing time, a reporter from China News Service contacted Yang Lijun, an employee of the 16th Engineering Bureau of China Water Resources and Hydropower in Ukraine.
Yang Lijun is located in Zhytomyr, about 150 kilometers west of Kiev, and no Russian troops have been seen yet. However, they also have some concerns about the future situation, and have now declared to the embassy that they hope to return to the embrace of the motherland as soon as possible.
"Because after all, if we are here, some materials and materials will be more, and the only thing we are worried about is that the locals themselves have civil unrest or robbery." Externally, we were still more worried about the engagement from our north, because from the north, we were still relatively close here. Yang Lijun said in an interview with China-Singapore Video.
Since the main deal is contract business work, the projects that Yang Lijun is responsible for have not been greatly affected at present. After the war began, he and other Chinese employees also minimized going out and stockpiled enough supplies.
"Because the incident happened more suddenly, we were basically still sleeping, and then all of a sudden we received news from all sides, including our local security guards, and some local drivers, and suddenly they all called us and asked us what was going on here." We are also actively making some preparations, the replenishment of the replenishment. Our side (stored) for more than a month, such as water, rice, oil, and spices and the like. At the same time, we also made other materials that should be packed, valuables and the like. Yang Lijun said.
Yang Lijun said that Chinese companies can currently achieve centralized control over employees to ensure safety.
On the 25th local time, Chinese students in Kharkiv, Ukraine, said in an interview with the Chinese news network video link, "The sound of gunfire in the ear is very close, and I can often hear some sound similar to the firing of shells." ”
Ren Zeyu, a doctoral student at Kharkiv University of Arts and Crafts, recalled his experience of dodging air raids twice in one day. "The war came more suddenly, and at about one o'clock in the morning this morning, I heard the air raid siren, and we ran to a sunken space on the first floor of the school dormitory to take shelter." In addition to international students, he recalled, some local residents also went in to take shelter here. "At about ten o'clock this morning, the artillery fire outside went off again, and then we moved en masse to the bottom of the subway, inside a building similar to an air raid shelter built by the former Soviet Union."
On February 25, local time, in Kharkov, Ukraine, people took shelter in subway stations with their pets. Photo by Ren Zeyu, China News Service
Ren Zeyu told reporters that there were many people in the subway station, some people were anxious, and some people stood up to calm everyone's emotions. "I saw two kids playing and were happy too, they didn't understand what was going on. I also saw some people, looking sad, praying in the subway station. ”
Chinese citizens are reminded not to arbitrarily reveal their identities and display identifying signs
The Chinese Embassy in Ukraine issued a notice on the 26th that in recent times, with the continuous escalation of the war in Ukraine and Russia, the extreme behavior in Ukrainian society has increased, and it is not inferior to even shoot with guns, which has caused security risks to Chinese citizens in Ukraine.
The Chinese Embassy in Ukraine reminds the compatriots that in the current special period of the security situation in Ukraine, we must attach great importance to friendly coexistence with the Ukrainian people, avoid disputes over specific issues, and strive to solve problems through friendly means. Try not to go out and stay away from military installations, military personnel and gun owners to reduce security risks. Do not photograph ongoing firefights and people, and do not take pictures without the consent of the other party. Don't show your identity and display identifying signs.