Furious Putin orders his nuclear deterrent forces on high alert after West expels Russian banks from global Swift finance community - as Chechen warlord moans his tactics 'are too sluggish' and asks for order 'to finish off Nazis and terrorists'

Vladimir Putin today ordered forces operating Russia's nuclear deterrent to be 'on alert' amid simmering tensions with the West over Ukraine.

He said he had ordered the troops onto a 'special regime of duty' in light of 'aggressive statements' from NATO leaders and 'unfriendly economic actions'.

It came as Ramzan Kadyrov, the warlord leader of the Chechen Republic, complained Russia's tactics had been 'too sluggish' as he appeared to pave the way for a further escalation of violence against Ukraine.

He said the Ukrainians were 'armed to the teeth with new weaponry and ammunition, and new generation heavy artillery' and that he is 'hoping they will come to their senses' and surrender.

'If they've refused talks twice, then we have to change our tactics - that'll be more convincing for them,' he added, according to the FT, before asking Putin to 'give all special forces the order to finish off the Nazis and terrorists' in the country.

The idea that Russia is 'de-Nazifying' Ukraine is a common propaganda line spouted by Kremlin allies, while Ukrainian president Volodymr Zelensky has said he is ready for peace talks but did not want to heed the Kremlin's demand to hold them in Belarus, which is allied with Russia.

Earlier today, Putin gave a special TV address in which he praised his special forces for 'heroically carrying out their military duties', as a British minister said his invasion had fallen 'well behind' its planned timeline and the autocrat could lose his grip on power if it fails.

To mark Russia's special forces day, Putin thanked soldiers for 'heroically fulfilling their military duty' in Ukraine, before parroting his propaganda line that his armies are providing assistance to the 'people's republics of Donbas' - referring to two rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognised as independent states ahead of its invasion.

'I want to thank the command, the personnel of the special operations forces, veterans of the special forces units for their loyalty to the oath, for their impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland,' he said.

Russian forces today entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv. The Kremlin has so far not declared any fatalities from the fighting, although the head of the Dagestan regional government recently offered his condolences to the family of a slain paratrooper in what may have been a case of going off script.

UK Armed Forces minister James Heappey has insisted Putin's 'days are numbered' if he fails in Ukraine, with his campaign falling 'well behind' its planned timeline and was facing several severe headwinds.

Mr Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said Putin's forces had been unable to capture key cities in the first few days of fighting as intended and had left pockets of 'well-armed' Ukrainians to the rear of their front line.

A picture is emerging of a haphazard and disorganised invasion effort, with armoured columns running out of fuel or getting lost, and some having to advance without air cover.

Mr Heappey wrote in the Telegraph: 'After three days of intense fighting, spurred by dogged Ukrainian resistance, Russia is well behind its planned timeline.

'Progress to Kyiv has been much slower than they'd expected, they were unable to take key cities early and now must try to bypass them.

'This leaves pockets of well-armed and well-trained Ukrainians to the rear of the Russian front line, exposing a vulnerable logistics tail - an omen for what awaits Putin.'

At the same time, Ukrainians are volunteering in their droves, with 'long queues' at recruitment centres, the minister wrote.

Meanwhile, footage from the town of Koryukivka, near the Russian border, showed hundreds of locals massing on a road to block the advance of a Russian tank column.

Mr Heappey believes that if Putin fails and ordinary Russians realise 'how little he cares for them ... [his] days as president will surely be numbered and so too will those of the kleptocratic elite that surround him,' he wrote.

'He'll lose power and he won't get to choose his successor.'

There have been fresh questions raised about Putin's mental state, including whether Covid-19 has fueled his paranoia after claims emerged the isolated president spent time 'stewing in his own fears' after 'withdrawing into himself' during the pandemic.

Russia has seen anti-war protests in recent days, with a demonstration outside the Kremlin today near the site opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down.

This morning, footage shared on social media showed Putin's army trucks rolling through Kharkiv - a city of 1.41 million people, which sits in Eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia.

Soldiers were also seen marching on foot, with a very dramatic clip showing Russians slowly advancing along a road before running and firing their guns as Ukrainians opened fire on them.

Another clip shared online shows an army vehicle said to belong to the Russians ablaze, with locals saying it had been torched by Ukrainians seeking to defend their city.

Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, said Ukrainian forces are fighting Russian troops in the city and asked civilians not to leave their homes.

Meanwhile, the UK's Ministry of Defence released its latest intelligence update, saying there had been an 'intensive' exchange of rocket artillery in the city, followed by 'heavy fighting' between Ukrainian and Russian forces. It said fighting in the capital Kyiv had been 'less intense' than previous nights.

Ukraine war latest, at a glance

Russia failed to capture Ukraine's capital city Kyiv during fighting on Saturday night and Sunday morning
But Russian forces entered Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning
Street battles were reported to be taking place, while pictures appear to show one Russian military vehicle on fire
Oleh Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration, said Ukrainian forces are fighting Russian troops in the city and asked civilians not to leave their homes
Russian forces have reportedly blocked Kherson and Berdyansk and delivered another missile strike on Ukraine's military infrastructure, the Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov says
UN reports that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed
At least 200,000 people have fled Ukraine to three countries, with 150,000 said to have crossed into Poland alone
Unconfirmed reports that a cancer hospital for children in Kyiv had been shelled by Russians forces meanwhile have also been debunked
It has been reported by Ukrainian news site TSN that the boy was killed when a children's hospital in the city
According to the Kyiv Independent, at least two children and two adults were wounded during an incident at Okhmadyt children's cancer hospital
However the New York Times debunked the claims, saying that while gunfire was heard near to the hospital it had not been shelled by artillery
Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko says their airforce shot down a missile aimed at the capital Kyiv, by a plane that flew in from Russian ally Belarus
Ukraine's defence ministry today appealed for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army, with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine urging people to contact his department.
According to UK intelligence, fighting in Kyiv last night was at a 'lower intensity' than the previous evening
The MoD said there had been an 'intensive' exchange of rocket artillery in Kharkiv, followed by 'heavy fighting' between Ukrainian and Russian forces
As the fighting raged on, Russia claimed it was engaging in peace talks with the Ukrainian government in Belarus
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' he said.
However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion
In a televised address, Zelensky, standing beside a Ukrainian flag dressed in an army green t-shirt and jumper, said: 'If there had been no aggressive action from your territory, we could talk in Minsk... other cities can be used as the venue for talks.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has obliterated a 56 tank convoy of feared Chechen fighters
Among those killed was one of Chechnya's top generals, Magomed Tushaev
At least two blasts have rocked the country in the early hours of Sunday local time
Vasylkiv, which sits southwest of Ukraine, saw its air base's fuel depot attacked by Russian ballistic missiles
Subsequent blaze cast an eerie orange glow over Kyiv, around 40 kilometers north east
Gas pipeline was blown up near Kharkiv, sending huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky
Woman was killed in Kharkiv after Russian shell hit apartment block
Elon Musk agreed to turn his Starlink satellite network on over Ukraine
Officials want to ensure locals can still access the internet if Russia destroys telecoms network
Keen to push back against Russian propaganda, and expose the violence being meted out by Putin's army
Russian premier said to be furious at slower-than-expected efforts to conquer Ukraine
UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, writing in The Telegraph, warned Putin's days 'will surely be numbered' if he fails in his ambition to take Kyiv
Mr Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said if Putin failed and the Russian people could be shown 'how little he cares for them... Putin's days as president will surely be numbered and so too will those of the kleptocratic elite that surround him. He'll lose power and he won't get to choose his successor.'
However there are fears that delays in Russia's invasion plan could lead Putin to become more desperate in his attempts to crush Ukrainian resolve.
A Russian thermobaric rocket launcher was spotted by a US film crew south of Belgorod, Russia, near the Ukrainian border.
The weapons, which contain a highly explosive fuel and chemical mix and send out supersonic blast waves that can rip buildings and bodies apart, can reduce cities to rubble and would cause huge loss of life.
Millions of citizens are sheltering underground
But others have taken to the streets armed with guns and Molotov cocktails, to try and fight back
US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions
Donald Trump condemned the invasion Saturday
He said: 'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling, it's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur. It never would have occurred. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all.'
China's ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong shared a video scotching claims he'd fled Kyiv
Urged other Chinese nationals in Ukraine to shelter
Comes as China tries to condemn attack while keeping ally Vladimir Putin on side
Hundreds of ordinary citizens in Koryukivka, a town just miles from the border with Russia, walked down a road to block a Russian tank column
Zelensky said Russia should be stripped of its seat at the United Nations Security Council over its invasion of his country.
The breach of Ukraine's defenses came hours after Russia was dealt a significant blow when a column of Chechen special forces sent to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were blown up by locals just two days into their mission.
A Russian tank burning in the Ukrainians city of Sumy just days after newly revealed dashcam footage showed a huge column of tanks moving in
A Ukrainian serviceman and his dog stands in a position looking at smoke from a burned petroleum storage depot behind after a Russian missile attacked near Kyiv today
Ukrainian servicemen patrol during a curfew as Russian forces continue to advance on the third day of fighting around Kyiv
Russian forces were filmed advancing through Kharkiv on Sunday morning - moments before gunfire rang out, sending some soldiers running while others returned fire
A Russian military vehicle is seen ablaze in Kharkiv on Sunday morning after troops entered the eastern Ukrainian city
Burning Russian military equipment on the streets of Kharkiv minutes after Russian army entered the city

Ukrainian troops gather around a fire during a brief period of rest as they defend their capital, Kyiv, from Russian forces

Members of Russian special forces - SOF - in Bucha outside of Kyiv as the invaders continue to besiege Ukraine's capital city

A column of Russian military vehicles is seen near the village of Oktyabrsky, Belgorod Region, near the Russian-Ukrainian border, on February 26, 2022

Today, as the fighting continued, The Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion. Pictured: Ukrainian servicemen take cover in a shelter at fighting positions at the military airbase Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region

Chechen general Magomed Tushaev was one of 56 highly-feared elite soldiers blown up by Ukraine after they joined the Russian invasion with their sights set on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

This map shows the strikes Russia is so-far known to have carried out against Ukraine, with more explosions rocking the country in the early hours of Sunday morning

Russians attend anti-war protests: A man holds a poster which reads 'No war' as people lay flowers near the place where Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down, with the Kremlin WallThe armed group - famed for their barbaric violence and human rights abuses - are said to have been obliterated after their convoy of 56 tanks was blown to smithereens near Hostomel, just northeast of Kyiv, by Ukrainian missile fire on the second day of the Chechens' deployment. It is unclear how many died - but the number is likely to run into the hundreds.

Their deaths were reported by The Kyiv Independent news outlet as officials in Kyiv revealed that they'd managed to maintain control of Ukraine's capital city throughout combat on Saturday night and into Sunday morning.

First Deputy Chairman of Kyiv City State Administration Mykola Povoroznyk said: 'The situation in Kyiv is calm, the capital is fully controlled by the Ukrainian army and the terror defense. At night there were several clashes with sabotage group.'

But Russian forces were seen entering Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv on Sunday morning. Footage shared on social media showed Russian tanks and trucks rolling through the city, which sits in eastern Ukraine, close to the Russian border, with gunshots also heard ringing out.

Other videos shared online showed Russian troops walking in to the city of 1.419 million people on foot, as well as an army truck said to be Russian consumed by flames.

Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko, meanwhile, said their airforce had shot down a missile aimed at the capital Kyiv, by a plane that flew in from Russian ally Belarus.

But while fighting raged in the north, Russian forces said they had successfully blocked Kherson and Berdyansk in the south, effectively opening up a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean peninsula - which it annexed in 2014.

Among the Chechens said to have been wiped out was general Magomed Tushaev. He was commander of the 141th motorized national guard brigade - Chechen head of state Ramzan Kadyrov's elite force.

Tushaev had also been pictured with Kadyrov, in a measure of his importance to the Chechen regime, which shot to notoriety in the west for hunting down, torturing and killing gay men.

Kadyrov is even believed to have visited his doomed squadron in a Ukrainian forest before their alleged deaths.

The terror squadron's reported killings are a crushing psychological blow for Vladimir Putin's stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. The Russian premiere had dispatched the group to capture or kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, knowing full well that the fighters' brutal reputation would strike further fear into the hearts of besieged Ukrainians.

Each fighter had been given a deck of cards complete with photos of Ukrainian officials they'd been told to target.

But Zelensky remains standing, and has become a global hero for his brave dispatches from the front line - while his would-be assassins' reported killings have brought huge disgrace and widespread grief to Chechnya.

Putin is said to be growing increasingly angry by his stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. His fire and manpower vastly outnumbers that of Ukraine, and it is widely believed that Russia will eventually conquer its neighbor.

Yesterday, the head of Britain's MI6 Secret Intelligence Service said he believes Russia's war in Ukraine will prove 'unwinnable' because Putin will never attain political victory over the country's people.

Richard Moore, the chief of MI6, wrote how a report suggesting the autocrat's forces will ultimately fail in Ukraine because it underestimated its neighbour's military strength and fierce determination 'makes sense to me'.

The article Moore, 58, was reacting to was penned by Lawrence Freedman, the Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London.

The paranoid 'old man in the bunker': Isolated Putin spends time 'stewing in his own fears' after 'withdrawing into himself' during pandemic and only has contact with his inner circle

By Lauren Lewis for MailOnline

Questions have been raised over whether Covid-19 has fueled Vladimir Putin's paranoia after claims emerged the isolated president spent time 'stewing in his own fears' after 'withdrawing into himself' during the pandemic.

Putin reportedly only had contact with his inner circle during the pandemic, but even they were asked to present faecal samples several times a week to check for infection and, in some cases, asked to isolate for two weeks before face-to-face meeting.

It is the latest in a string of questions being asked about the Russian leader's state of mind after he announced the invasion of Ukraine in 'rambling, terrifying, apocalyptic' fashion.

Rumours surrounding the Russian leader's health have been swirling for years, with repeated reports suggesting that he is suffering from cancer and Parkinson's disease, or been affected by long Covid-19 causing 'brain fog'.

Fears were raised again yesterday after US Senator Marco Rubio appeared to suggest he believes Putin is mentally unwell in a tweet that warned it was 'pretty obvious' that 'something is off' with the Russian president amid his invasion of Ukraine.

'I wish I could share more, but for now I can say it's pretty obvious to many that something is off with #Putin', the Republican Senator for Florida wrote.

'He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different & significant It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago.'

In the article titled 'A Reckless Gamble', Professor Freedman said Putin had 'become obsessed with Ukraine, and prone to outrageous theories which appear as pretexts for war but may also reflect his views.'

He wrote that victory for Moscow does not come in the form of a successful invasion that overthrows Ukraine's government, but with winning over the people of Ukraine.

This, the professor writes, is something Russia does not have the strength for.

'Even if the government loses control of the capital and is forced to flee, and the command systems for Ukrainian forces start to break down, that does not mean that Russia has won the war,' he wrote.

In an unusual move for the chief of MI6, Moore shared the article with his over 130,000 Twitter followers, writing: 'Fascinating. Makes sense to me.'

In a rebuke of Putin's human rights record, Moore also wrote around the same time in a separate tweet: 'With the tragedy and destruction unfolding so distressingly in Ukraine, we should remember the values and hard-won freedoms that distinguish us from Putin, none more than LGBT+ rights.'

Moore's endorsement of the article came as other intelligence sources claimed Putin's war with Ukraine is not going to plan due to Kremlin 'overconfidence', poor tactical planning, and 'shock' at the fierce resistance put up by brave Ukrainians fighting for their nation's survival.

Dramatic video on Saturday showed a destroyed Russian convoy with Z-markings near Kherson in the south of the country on the third day of fighting after Ukraine's army held control of Kyiv and last night successfully repelled Russian advances on the capital.

In addition to the video of the destroyed convoy, another video purportedly showed the destruction of a 20-vehicle Russia military column in Kharkiv.

Images of the carnage is the snow - from which it is suspected there were no survivors - appear to show Putin's invasion suffering brutal losses.

Kyiv's defence ministry has so far put Russia's losses at around 2,800 troops, 80 tanks, 516 armoured vehicles, and 10 airplanes and seven helicopters so far.

The Russian army has now been ordered to broaden its advance 'from all directions', with Kyiv residents braced Saturday for another night sheltering underground, as Russian troops closed in on the capital and skirmishes were reported on the outskirts.

However, a senior US defence officials claimed Russia is facing more resistance than Moscow anticipated in its invasion of Ukraine, and appears to have lost some of its momentum.

An eerie orange glow lights up the sky in Vasylkyiv after Russian missiles targeted an oil refinery located on a local air base

A woman was killed in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday night after a Russian artillery shell hit this nine-story apartment building

This statement was shared by BNO News Saturday announcing a strike on the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine in Kyiv, which stores radioactive waste

The building that was struck is pictured in May 2015. A radiation detector was also destroyed in the strike, although a preliminary inspection has suggested that there does not appear to be any danger to local residents

Mayor of Vasylkiv Natalia Balasynovych shared a video message in the early hours of Sunday saying that Russian forces wanted to 'destroy everything' in their attempts to conquer UkraineProfessor Freedman's article backed this theory. He wrote: 'Despite the superiority of Russian forces they made less progress than might have been expected on the first day of the war when they had the advantages of tactical surprise and potentially overwhelming numbers.

'The Ukrainians demonstrated a spirited resistance and imposed casualties on the invaders,' he added.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's military is asking people to remove the names of streets, cities and villages from road signs in their regions in order to 'confuse and disorient the enemy'. In a tweet, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said: 'We will do everything possible to clear Ukraine of the Russian occupier as soon as possible!'.

A sign over a part of the Boryspil highway triumphantly declared: 'Russian warship, go f**k yourself!', in reference to the killing of a small group of Ukrainian border guards stationed at Snake Island off the coast of Ukraine after they refused to surrender to Kremlin forces.

Riho Terras has claimed that Putin is 'raging' at his war not going to plan. He said Russia is fast running out of money and weapons, and will have to enter negotiations with Volodymyr Zelensky's government if Kyiv holds off the Russians for 10 days.

Russia's tyrant has allegedly convened a meeting with the oligarchs in a bunker in the Ural Mountains, at which it is claimed that he furiously vented that he thought the war would be 'easy' and 'everything would be done in one to four days'.

Citing Ukrainian intelligence sources, Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around £15billion-per-day, and that they have rockets for three to four days at most, which they are using sparingly.

The Mail on Sunday UKRAINE REFUGEE APPEAL

Readers of Mail Newspapers have always shown immense generosity at times of crisis.

Calling upon that human spirit, we are now launching an appeal to raise money for refugees from Ukraine.

For, surely, no one can fail to be moved by the heartbreaking images and stories of families – mostly women, children, the infirm and elderly – fleeing from Russia's invading armed forces.

As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of a tyrant will require accommodation, schools and medical support.

All donations to the Mail Ukraine Appeal will be distributed to charities and aid organisations providing such essential services.

In the name of charity and compassion, we urge all our readers to give swiftly and generously.

TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE

Via bank transfer, please use these details:

Account name: Associated Newspapers

Account number: 20769512

Sort code: 50-00-00

TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHEQUE

Make your cheque payable to 'Mail Newspapers – Ukraine Appeal'

and post it to: Mail Newspapers Ukraine Appeal, GFM, 42 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JYHe claimed that Putin's plan has relied on panicking the country, firing missiles at residential buildings 'at random' to 'intimidate' the Ukrainians, trigger mass army desertions, national surrender, and Zelensky's flight from the country. Terras also alleged that Russian special operations have been near Kyiv since February 18, and had planned to swiftly seize the capital and install a puppet regime.

'The Russians are in shock of the fierce resistance they have encountered. The Ukrainians must avoid panic! ... Ukraine must stay strong and we must provide assistance!', he wrote on Twitter.

However, in a worrying sign for Ukraine, video from Russia's Western border with Ukraine showed TOS-1 heavy flamethrower tanks moving towards its neighbour. The tanks are capable of firing high-power thermobaric weapons - dubbed the 'father of all bombs'.

In Russian, 'TOS' stands for 'heavy flame thrower'. However, what the TOS-1 launches is perhaps even more frightening - fuel-air explosives (FAE) that cause a 'wall of napalm'. As the bomb explodes, it scatters dust that ignites when it meets oxygen, causing the very air around it to appear as if it is bursting into flames.

Russia's Interfax news agency claimed Moscow had captured the southeastern city of Melitopol. Ukrainian officials were not immediately available to comment on the fate of Melitopol. If the Interfax report about Melitopol, which cited Russia's defence ministry, is confirmed, it would be the first significant population centre that the Kremlin has seized.

However, Britain's armed forces minister James Heappey cast doubt on the report, saying the city of some 150,000 people was still in Ukrainian hands and that fighting in the capital was so far confined to 'very isolated pockets of Russian special forces and paratroopers' and that 'the main armoured columns approaching Kyiv are still some way off'.

The Ukrainian health minister said 198 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the Russian offensive. Viktor Lyashko said there were three children among those killed.

His statement was unclear whether the casualties included military and civilians. He said another 1,115 people, including 33 children, were wounded in the Russian invasion.

It was later reported that a further 19 civilians were killed in shelling in Ukraine's east, while two were reported killed in a strike on a tower block early on Saturday - bringing the civilian death toll to 219.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov claimed Saturday that since the start of Moscow's attack, its military had hit 821 Ukrainian military facilities, 87 tanks and other targets.

Konashenkov didn't say how many Ukrainian troops were killed and didn't mention any casualties on the Russian side. Neither his claims nor Ukraine's allegations that its forces killed thousands of Kremlin troops could be independently verified.

A sign over a part of the Boryspil highway read: 'Russian warship, go f**k yourself!', in reference to the killing of Ukrainian border guards stationed at Snake Island off the coast of Ukraine when they refused to surrender to Kremlin forces

Civilian Members of a territorial defence unit fit their weapons to repel the Russian attacking forces in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday

A Ukrainian serviceman checks on a man who was acting suspicious not far from the positions on Ukraine's service members in Lugansk region on February 26, 2022

A local man shakes hands with a serviceman of the People's Militia in Stanitsa Luganskaya, a rural town abandoned by Ukrainian troops without resistance, February 26, 2022

Ukrainian servicemen arrive from Zmeiny Island, their garrison voluntarily surrendering to Russian troops, February 26, 2022

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire from a bombed civilian building in a residential area on February 26, 2022, in Kiev, Ukraine. A missile has hit this residential building in the capital

A couple embraces, on Maidan Square, February 26, 2022, in Kiev, Ukraine

Kyiv's military is far inferior to its Russian counterpart with an air defence system and air force dating back to the Soviet eraHOW IS PUTIN'S WAR NOT GOING TO PLAN?

MONEY

According to Ukrainian intelligence sources, Putin's war with Ukraine is costing the Russian economy around £15billion-per-day alone – meaning the Kremlin will have spent around £45billion by the end of today in fighting Ukraine.

Writing on Twitter, Terras claimed that Russia would be forced to enter negotiations with Ukraine if Kyiv can hold off the Kremlin's advance for 10 days, by which point Russia will have spent around £150billion.

Though it is widely believed that the Russian dictator will have factored Western sanctions into his calculations, the combined effect of punitive measures on Russia's banking system will further squeeze its economy.

The United States, Britain, Japan, Canada, Australia and the European Union unveiled more sanctions on Moscow on top of penalties earlier this week, including a move by Germany to halt a gas pipeline from Russia.

President Joe Biden delivered further measures to target Russian banks, oligarchs and high-tech sectors, while the EU unveiled its own new package including financial, energy and technological sanctions.

WEAPONS AND RESOURCES

Citing Ukrainian intelligence, Terras also claimed that Russia has rockets for 'three to four days at most' which they use 'sparingly'.

He added: 'They lack weapons, the Tula and 2 Rotenberg plants can't physically fulfil the orders for weapons. Rifles and ammo are the most they can do.

'The next Russian weapons can be produced in 3-4 months – if even that. They have no raw materials. What was previously supplied mainly from Slovenia, Finland and Germany is now cut off.

'If Ukraine manages to hold the Russians off for 10 days, then the Russians will have to enter negotiations. Because they have no money, weapons, or resources'.

OVERCONFIDENCE

Terras also claimed that at a meeting of the oligarchs in his lair in the Urals, Putin was 'furious' and ranted about how he thought the war would be 'easily' won in 'one to four days'.

He continued: 'Russia's whole plan relies on panic – that the civilians and armed forces surrender and Zelensky flees.

'They expect Kharkiv to surrender first so the other cities would follow suit to avoid bloodshed. The Russians are in shock of the fierce resistance they have encountered'.

A Ukrainian soldier smokes a cigarette on his position at an armored vehicle outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, February 26, 2022

Ukrainian service members look for unexploded shells after a fighting with Russian raiding group in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in the morning of February 26, 2022, according to Ukrainian service personnel at the scene

'We survived the night. The occupiers wanted to capture our capital and install their puppets...We broke their idea': Zelensky's warning shot to Putin as noose tightens around Kyiv, Ukrainian civilian death toll hits 219 and missile hits tower block

Defiant president Volodmyr Zelensky today said his country's army had successfully repelled Russian forces advancing on Kyiv and was in control of the capital after a night of brutal fighting that saw terrified residents seeking shelter underground.

In a video message to the besieged nation, Zelensky accused the Kremlin of attempting to seize Kyiv, overthrow the government and install a 'puppet' regime 'like in Donetsk', one of two separatist regions which warmonger Vladimir Putin officially recognised before launching an all-out invasion.

Declaring 'we broke their idea', he added: 'The fights are going on in many cities and areas of our state. But we know that we are protecting the country, the land, the future of our children. Kyiv and key cities around the capital are controlled by our army.

'The [Russian] occupants wanted to block the centre of our state and put here their marionette, like in Donetsk. We broke their idea.'

Ukraine's president Volodmyr Zelensky today claimed the country's army has successfully repelled Russian forces advancing on Kyiv and is in control of the capital after a night of brutal fighting that saw terrified residents seeking shelter underground

It comes after a high-rise apartment block in Kyiv was hit by a devastating missile this morning, while Ukraine's civilian death toll hit 219.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said the bulk of Russian forces involved in the advance on Kyiv were now 30 km (19 miles) from the city centre.

'Russia has yet to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine greatly reducing the effectiveness of the Russian Air Force,' the defence ministry said in an intelligence update posted on Twitter.

But armed forces minister James Heappey said today there was no reason to think a 'happy ending is just around the corner' as he warned the conflict could rumble on for months.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'Nobody should think that this is anywhere near over. What stands in front of Ukraine, its armed forces and very tragically its people, is days, weeks, months more of what we have seen over that last 48 hours.'

A 5pm to 8am curfew in Kyiv is now in force across the capital to ensure the most effective defence of the city and the safety of its people. The previous curfew had run from 10pm to 7am.

Surveillance footage shows a missile hitting a residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday morningMayor Vitaly Klitschko said: 'All civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups.'

As Ukrainian forces said they had fought off a Russian attack on their capital today, Zelensky vowed to stay and fight on in an impassioned video to his people.

'I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth,' he said outside his office, denouncing as disinformation claims that he had surrendered or fled.

Wearing military garb the president added: 'A lot of fake information has appeared on the internet saying that I allegedly called on our army to lay down its arms and that evacuation is underway.

'Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this. This is what I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine!'

WHAT'S THE STATE OF PLAY TODAY?

HELICOPTERS, JETS AND PLANES

The mayor of a city south of the Ukrainian capital claimed that the country's military has fended off a Russian attempt to take control of a military air base.

Natalia Balansynovych, the mayor of Vasylkiv, about 25 miles south of Kyiv, said on Saturday that Russian airborne forces landed near the city overnight and tried to seize the base. She said fierce fighting also raged on Vasylkiv's central street.

She said that Ukrainian forces repelled the Russian attacks, and that the situation is now calm. Balansynovych claimed there were heavy casualties, but didn't give any numbers.

At around 3am on Saturday, fighting between Russia and Ukraine broke out at Vasylkiv, which is home to a Cold War-era base.

Ukraine's military claimed a Russian IL-76 military transporter planer was brought down, reportedly with 150 paratroopers on board. Sources in the city then claimed that Russian soldiers, allegedly dressed as Ukrainian police, ambushed a checkpoint.

Kyiv: Fierce fighting erupts in capital after a Russian transport plane carrying '150 paratroopers' was shot down

Smoke and flames are seen billowing over Kyiv's Peremohy Avenue in the west of the city, near the zoo, early Saturday

Significant explosions were seen from Beresteiska metro station in the west of Kyiv

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, is seen addressing the nation on Friday night

Heavy fighting ensued in Vasylkiv, as Putin's forces tried to gain a foothold in the south from which to launch their attack on Kyiv.

At around 4am, Ukraine's Defence Ministry claimed 'two enemy targets were shot down' – identifying them as a Russian SU-25 helicopter and a military bomber – near the separatist zone in the east.

At around 4am, a second Russian military transport plane was shot down near Bila Tserkva, 50 miles south of Kyiv, according to two American officials with direct knowledge of conditions on the ground in Ukraine. The Russian military did not comment on either plane.

Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) denied a report earlier on Saturday that Russian helicopters had landed in the Lviv region, a development that would have signalled a widening of the theatre of Moscow's invasion.

The mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, said Russia had landed three helicopters near the city of Brody in the western Lviv region and that Ukrainian forces had repelled the attack.

The SBU said the information was false and that no such landing had taken place. It said a Ukrainian helicopter had done a reconnaissance flight in the area.

'We ask residents to remain calm!', the SBU said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Sadovyi's office declined to comment and the SBU declined further comment. The Lviv regional administration said that footage circulating on social media of a helicopter firing rockets in the Lviv region was Ukrainian, not Russian.

Ukrainian soldiers walk past debris of a burning military truck on a street in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday morning

Ukrainian service members look for and collect unexploded shells after a fighting with Russian raiding group in Kyiv GROUND FORCES

Earlier, small arms fire and explosions were heard in the capital's northern district Obolonsky as what appeared to be an advance party of Russia's invasion force left a trail of destruction.

Ukrainian forces reported fighting with Russian armoured units in two locations between 40-80 kilometres north of Kyiv.

Ukraine's military claimed Russia had 'attacked one of the military units on Victory Avenue in Kyiv' but that the assault had been 'repulsed'. It also reported another incident northwest of the capital.

Kyiv said 137 people, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed during the fighting, and claimed that 2,800 Russian service personnel have died.

An adviser to Ukraine's president says that fighting is raging in the capital and in the country's south, and that the Ukrainian military is successfully fending off Russian assaults.

Russian forces were also focusing on the country's south, where intense fighting is underway in Kherson just north of Crimea, and in the Black Sea ports of Mykolaiv, Odesa and around Mariupol, it was claimed.

A Ukrainian soldier walks past debris of a burning military truck, on a street in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday morning

A view shows an apartment building damaged by recent shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday morning

Firefighters extinguish fire in a high-rise apartment block which was hit by recent shelling in Kyiv on Saturday

A high-rise apartment block in Kyiv was hit by a devastating missile this morning as fighting continues to rage in the capital between Russian attackers and Ukrainian forcesMykhailo Podolyak said that Russia considers it a priority to seize the south, but it has failed to make any significant gains.

Britain claimed that Russian forces have not captured the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Melitopol and armoured columns advancing on the capital Kyiv have been held up by Ukrainian resistance.

Armed forces minister James Heappey said on Saturday it was the British assessment that Russia had so far failed to capture any of its day one targets for its invasion of Ukraine, which began on Thursday.

'Even Melitopol, which the Russians are claiming to have taken but we can't see anything to substantiate that, are all still in Ukrainian hands,' Heappey told BBC radio.

'The fighting ... reported on the outskirts of Kyiv overnight, we understand to just be Russian special forces and pockets of paratroopers. The reality is that the armoured columns that were coming down from Belarus and the north that were going to encircle Kyiv are still some way north because they've been held up by this incredible Ukrainian resistance.'

A Ukrainian soldier stands guard behind tires in Kyiv during Russia's military intervention in Ukraine

A Ukranian fireman kneels by a damaged vehicle, at the site of a fighting with Russian troops after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, February 26, 2022Russian missiles pounded Kyiv on Friday, families cowered in shelters and authorities told residents to prepare Molotov cocktails to defend Ukraine's capital from an assault that the mayor said had already begun with saboteurs in the city.

But an American official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested a mixed picture for the Russian effort to press an offensive that Washington and Kyiv say is aimed at decapitating the government and installing a puppet regime.

'We do assess that there is greater resistance by the Ukrainians than the Russians expected,' the senior defence official said, adding Ukraine's command and control of its military 'remains intact'.

'They are not moving on Kyiv as fast as what we believe they anticipated they would be able to do. That said, they continue to try to move on Kyiv.'

Still, Russia has not yet mobilized the majority of its forces arrayed around Ukraine, the official said, assessing that just about one-third have now been 'committed' to its offensive.

Although most of the Russian targeting has been against Ukrainian military installations, some of the missiles have landed on civilian residential areas, the official said.

Ukraine's military was putting up a fight, the official added.

'They are fighting for the country,' the official said, noting that Russia had yet to establish control of the airspace above Ukraine or used the extent of its electronic warfare capabilities. 'In general, the Russians have lost a little bit of their momentum,' the official said.

A militant of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic inspects the remains of a missile that landed on a street in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk

A Ukrainian servicemen walk by a damaged vehicle, at the site of a fighting with Russian troops, after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine, in Kyiv, February 26, 2022RUSSIA'S ACTIONS

Kyiv officials are warning residents that street fighting is underway against Russian forces, and they are urging people to seek shelter.

The warning issued Saturday advised residents to remain in shelters, to avoid going near windows or on balconies, and to take precautions against being hit by debris or bullets.

The Ukrainian military said a battle was underway near a military unit to the west of the city center.

A rescue worker says at least six civilians were injured by a rocket that hit a high-rise apartment building on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital.

Petro Prokopov, a firefighter who was taking part in rescue efforts, said the building on the southwestern edge of Kyiv near Zhuliany airport was hit between 16 and 21 floors on Saturday. He said at least six people were injured and apartments on two floors were gutted by fire. Emergency responders have evacuated 80 people.

Soldiers tasked with defending Kyiv from advancing Russian troops take up positions underneath a highway into the city Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted an image showing a gaping hole on one side of the apartment building.

AFP saw a dead man in civilian clothes lying sprawled on the pavement as nearby medics rushed to help another man whose car was crushed by an armoured vehicle.

Separately, Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said a Russian missile was shot down before dawn Saturday as it headed for the dam of the sprawling water reservoir that serves Kyiv.

'If the dam is destroyed, the flooding will cause catastrophic casualties and losses – including flooding of residential areas of Kyiv and its suburbs,' the ministry said.

Marine who blew himself up to destroy a bridge and halt advancing Russian troops is made a 'Hero of Ukraine' - the country's highest honour

Volodmyr Zelensky has declared a marine who blew himself up along with a bridge near Crimea to repel advancing Russian forces a Hero of Ukraine.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vitaly Shakun was manning the Henichesk bridge in the Kherson region when Kremlin troops advanced and the battalion decided the only way to stop them was to blow up the bridge.

It was mined, and Shakun had no time to get out. He texted them and told them he was going to blow up the bridge. Seconds later, they heard an explosion, a post on their Facebook page said. Shakun's efforts dramatically slowed down the Russian advance and allowed his comrades to regroup and re-deploy, the Ukrainian General Staff added.

Zelensky has now made Shakun a Hero of Ukraine, the highest national title that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the country's president.

Vitaly Shakun was manning the Henichesk bridge in the Kherson region when Russians advanced

The Henichesk bridge in the Kherson region at the Crimean crossing which the Ukrainian forces said was a key area of defense. This image was shared by Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform on Thursday

A post on the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Facebook page detailed his heroic efforts

In an emotional speech to the besieged nation uploaded to Facebook, the Ukrainian President also accused Moscow of attempting to seize Kyiv, overthrow the government and install a 'puppet' regime 'like in Donetsk', one of two separatist regions which warmonger Vladimir Putin officially recognised before launching an all-out invasion.

Declaring 'we derailed their idea', Zelensky added: 'The fights are going on in many cities and areas of our state. But we know that we are protecting the country, the land, the future of our children. Kyiv and key cities around the capital are controlled by our army.

'The [Russian] occupants wanted to block the centre of our state and put here their marionette, like in Donetsk. We derailed their idea.'

Zelensky pushed for Ukraine's urgent ascension to the European Union, saying he discussed the issue with the EU leaders. He also urged cutting Russia from the SWIFT international electronic bank payment system, noting that Germany and Hungary should show 'courage' and agree to the move.

Briefly switching to Russian, he claimed that thousands of Kremlin troops were killed and hundreds of those who were taken prisoner 'can't understand why they were sent into Ukraine to kill and get killed'.

Thanking Russians who spoke out against the war and asked them to keep up the pressure on the Kremlin, he said: 'The sooner you say to your government that this war should be immediately stopped, the more of your people will stay alive.' COULD RUSSIA LOSE THE WAR?

Despite Western fears, American officials believe that Putin's assault and attempted seizure of Kyiv has become bogged down.

While Russian special forces have reached the suburbs of Kyiv, the bulk of Moscow's heavy armour is believed to be still more than 30 miles away from the capital.

Britain claimed that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been slowed by strong Ukrainian resistance.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said fighting in Kyiv was so far confined to 'very isolated pockets of Russian special forces and paratroopers'. He added that 'the main armored columns approaching Kyiv are still some way off'.

Heappey said: 'It looks like the Russian plan is nowhere near running to schedule. I think that will be a great cause of concern for President Putin and rather points to the fact that there was a lot of hubris in the Russian plan and that he may be awfully advised.'

However, Western officials fear that Putin could resort to high-power thermobaric weapons – dubbed the 'father of all bombs' that vaporize bodies and crush internal organs – as brave Ukrainians resist his attempts to take control of Kyiv.

A thermobaric bomb explosion during the Caucasus 2016 strategic drills at Opuk range of Russia's Southern Military District

Thermobaric weapons – also known as vacuum bombs – are high-powered explosive that use the atmosphere itself as part of the explosion. They are among the most powerful non-nuclear weapons ever developed. Thermobaric weapons were developed by both the US and the Soviet Union in the 1960s

A thermobaric bomb dropped by the US on Taliban in Afghanistan in 2017 weighed 21,600 pounds and left a crater more than 1,000ft wide after it exploded six feet above the ground.

Thermobaric weapons were developed by both the US and the Soviet Union in the 1960s. In 2007, Russia detonated the largest thermobaric weapon ever made, which created an explosion equivalent to 39.9 tons. The US version of the weapon reportedly costs over $16million each.

The official said: 'My fear would be that if they don't meet their timescale and objectives they would be indiscriminate in their use of violence.

'They don't adhere to the same principles of necessity and proportionality and rule of law that Western forces do.'

'Will we declare war on Russia? No': Armed Forces Minister James Heappey insists NATO troops will not be sent in to Ukraine as he admits 'ultimate economic sanction' of removing Russia from the SWIFT system will require 'further diplomacy'

NATO troops will not set foot in the Ukrainian theatre of war as Britain presses ahead with its plans to enact the 'ultimate economic sanction' and boot Russia out of the SWIFT international payment network.

Armed Forces Minister James Heappey warned that any further financial penalties were being held up in the courts and reiterated the Government's desire to see Russia expelled from the international SWIFT banking system.

Speaking during his media round of interviews on Saturday morning, Mr Heappey also stopped short of committing sending NATO troops to fight in Ukraine.

'You're asking me if we will declare war on Russia? No,' was his answer when pressed by veteran journalist Martha Kearney on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers walk around debris of burning military trucks in a street in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, February 26

In later comments to the BBC, Mr Heappey said the Government's position on removing Russia from the international SWIFT financial servers was clear.

'The reality is that SWIFT is not a unilateral decision the UK can take. If it were, the Government's position is clear and we will push ahead with every means at our disposal.

'Clearly, it's the ultimate economic sanction. It's the one the UK government wants to see enacted.'

It was also revealed that the Government will continue to supply arms in its efforts to aid the Ukrainian's attempt to repel the Russian invasion and the Ministry of Defence is working on plans to potentially support a resistance movement and a government in exile if Ukraine was finally overrun.

Warning that the Ukrainian conflict could last for months to come, Mr Heappey added: 'Nobody should think that this is anywhere near over.

'What stands in front of Ukraine, its armed forces and very tragically its people, is days, weeks, months more of what we have seen over that last 48 hours'.

Ukraine's SECOND Tiananmen moment: Local man climbs on top of Russian tank before kneeling on the ground in bid to stop military convoy as Putin's men face fierce fight back on the streets

Another brave Ukrainian local has been captured on video trying to single-highhandedly block the advance of a Russian military convoy - in scenes reminiscent of Tiananmen Square's 'tank man' blocking Chinese forces in 1989.

The footage emerged as Moscow's forces continued their illegal invasion of the country, where Ukrainian soldiers and citizens alike are putting up a fierce resistance against Vladimir Putin's invading army.

Video of the brave face-off showed a column of Russian tanks passing through a junction in a Ukrainian town.

As the hulking vehicles rumbled through, one man decided to take a stand, heroically climbing on to the front of one of the tanks. It continued forward a few meters, but then came to a halt, blocking the route of those following.

Once the tank was no longer moving, the man can be seen climbing down from the tank and kneeling in the middle of the road, blocking the progress of the Russian convoy.

Recognising the futility of the man's protest, onlookers are seen trying to drag the man away from the tank.

However, defiant in his protest, the man continues to hold on to the front of the tank