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BATTLE FOR KYIV Russia launches FOURTH day of missile blitz as oil depot is blown up & sky pulses with orange glow

RUSSIA has begun another day of terrifying missile strikes on Ukraine.

Shells rained down across the Eastern European country following the invasion in the early hours of Thursday – as the battle for the capital, Kyiv, stretched into the fourth day.

Smoke billows from an oil depot in Vasylkiv, around 25m west of Kyiv, after a Russian missile attack

Smoke billows from an oil depot in Vasylkiv, around 25m west of Kyiv, after a Russian missile attackCredit: EPA
The sky above Kyiv glowed orange as loud bangs were heard

The sky above Kyiv glowed orange as loud bangs were heard

The sky above the city glowed an ominous orange as loud bangs – thought to have been from Russian ballistic missiles – rang out.

The explosions are thought to have rung out from towards the south west of Kyiv.

The blasts struck close to Kyiv’s secondary airport, Boryspil International, according to CNN.

Russian missiles hit a nuclear waste disposal site on the outskirts of Kyiv amid fears Ukrainians could be exposed to dangerous radioactive material, BNO Sunday reported.

Residents in the Ukrainian capital were warned the burning depot was emitting smoke and poisonous fumes and were told to keep their windows shut and to take cover.

Vasylkiv mayor Natalia Balasynovych said the city had sustained heavy shelling – but vowed the Russians would not win.

She said: “The enemy wants to destroy everything around, but he will not succeed. Hold on!”

And unverified reports also said a gas pipeline had been blown up in the city.

Chilling air raid sirens rang out and civilians were urged to take cover in subways and basements as darkness fell on Saturday night.

People were asked not to turn lights on in their homes and keep well away from windows over fears of flying shards of glass.

A city-wide curfew is being enforced in the capital while authorities hunt down “sabotage and reconnaissance groups,” Kyiv’s mayor said.

Footage showed the moment the sky above the city glows red and orange, as thunderous bangs can be heard in the background.

New York Times journalist Michael Downey tweeted: “It has been a very quiet day in Kyiv until a few minutes ago – as the sun has set, explosions can now be heard on the outskirts.”

As midnight struck in the war-torn country, civilians and troops were urged to hunker down ahead of the “imminent” attack.

It marks the dawn of a fourth day of fighting as hero Ukranian troops and civilians scramble to beat off the Russian invaders.

MP Lesia Vasylenko tweeted: “In 30-60 mins Kyiv will be under attack never seen before. #Russia will hit us with all they have.”

The official Ukraine death toll stands at 198, including three children.

And at least 17 of those were civilians, killed in a blast.

BOMB BLAST

The UK Ministry of Defence tweeted in an intelligence update that Russian troops appear to be waning, suffering from “logistical challenges” and a strong, Ukrainian resistance.

The MoD confirmed that Russian troops had been injured and captured by Ukrainian forces.

It followed last night’s unsuccessful attempts by the crazed Russian President to capture Kyiv.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said there was “active fighting on the streets of our city” as the conflict intensified and later air raid sirens were heard in Kyiv, sending soldiers and civilians scrambling for cover.

The Government has insisted the Russians are failing to advance with some 3,500 killed.

“The enemy is not moving for now.”

Estonia’s former defense chief Riho Terras said: “Putin is furious, he thought that the whole war would be easy and everything would be done in 1-4 days.

“The Russians are in shock of the fierce resistance they have encountered.”

And Ukrainian MP Sviatoslav Yurash said today “hundreds” of Russian troops had been captured near the capital.

Social media accounts from Ukraine officials suggested many of the soldiers were teens, and that they were “badly prepared”.

Speaking to Sky News before he went to the front, Mr Yurash said Russian forces were about 1.8 to 2.5 miles from where he was.

“Russians don’t have a good time here, to say the least,” he said.

“We have hundreds of POWs, we are issuing videos, showing Russians coming to Ukraine.”

He said Ukrainians “don’t have a choice” when it comes to fighting Russia as Putin has “time and again tried to denounce the very idea of Ukraine”.

“When you are fighting for your life you learn very quick. The reality is Ukraine doesn’t have a choice.

“Russia wants to destroy us and we will not let that happen. I was born in independent Ukraine and I will die in independent Ukraine.”

Speaking earlier this morning, President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had “successfully repelled” Russians from the capital overnight.

He said: “The fighting goes on in many cities of our state, but we know we are defending our country, our land, and our childrens’ future.”

And he called for anyone who had fled to return and fight for Ukraine, as all men aged between 18 and 60 are being conscripted.

President Zelenskyy also called for “friends” of Ukraine to come and help the fight.

Germany tonight backtracked on their decision not to send arms to the country, promising 1,000 anti tank-weapons and 500 Stinger missiles.

Today saw scores of emotional and exhausted refugees thankfully arriving at the Polish border, with residents still inside Ukraine taking to the streets and arming themselves.

Neighbours were seen crafting homemade Molatov cocktails, with their actions approved by the Ukrainian version of the MoD.

Meanwhile, queues of men and women signing up to fight were seen in towns and cities across the country.

The PM has also promised to crack down on Russian oligarchs funneling dirty money through the UK.

And Russia’s central bank was frozen, and banned from the German SWIFT system, a global inter-bank communication system.

Ursula von der Leyen said the measures would “cripple Putin’s ability to finance his war machine”.

The sky glowed orange following the blasts

The sky glowed orange following the blastsCredit: Twitter/ Trey Yingst
A Ukrainian soldier stands in the charred remains of a battlefield

A Ukrainian soldier stands in the charred remains of a battlefieldCredit: EPA
A child refugee covers her face after crossing the border into Romania

A child refugee covers her face after crossing the border into RomaniaCredit: AP
A destroyed apartment block after bombing earlier today

A destroyed apartment block after bombing earlier todayCredit: PA
Helena, from Lviv, Ukraine, sits with supplies in Poland

Helena, from Lviv, Ukraine, sits with supplies in PolandCredit: AFP
Volunteers making Molotov cocktails in the basement of a bomb shelter earlier today

Volunteers making Molotov cocktails in the basement of a bomb shelter earlier todayCredit: Getty
A Tochka-U missile seen after shelling on Ukraine today

A Tochka-U missile seen after shelling on Ukraine todayCredit: Getty

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