Kyiv authorities told residents to stay off the streets as Russian forces drew nearer to the residential Obolon district in the capital's north-west.
See how Friday unfolded in Ukraine as Russia's invasion continued.
Key events
- Putin calls for Ukraine armed forces to overthrow the government
- The EU has decided to freeze Russian President Vladimir Putin's European assets
- UK says NATO forces must not play an active role in Ukraine
- 'Russian warship, go f**k yourself': Kyiv to honour troops killed on island
- Gunfire heard near government quarter of Kyiv
- Commander of the Territorial Defence Forces says no age limit to join armed force
- Ukrainian government says today will be the 'hardest day'
- 'Horrific' strikes in Kyiv says Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister
- Ukraine's defences shot down Russian aircraft over Kyiv: Interior Ministry adviser
- Explosions are being heard and felt in Kyiv
- Ukrainian President vows to stay in Kyiv
- Australia to impose further sanctions on Russia
- Zelenskyy says Ukrainian death toll now stands at 137
- Zelenskyy orders full military mobilisation to counter Russia
- EU agrees to new round of Russia sanctions
- Ukraine says 57 people killed on first day of Russian invasion
- 'Putin is the aggressor': Biden imposes 'strong' sanctions on Russia
- Officials say Ukraine no longer in control of Chernobyl site
Live updates
By Lucy Sweeney
For any Australians who need consular assistance:
Australians in need of consular assistance should call the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 in Australia (if you're calling on someone's behalf) or +61 2 6261 3305 outside Australia.
By Paul Johnson
Thank you for reading
We're going to call it a night here in our almost round-the-clock coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
However, you can find our latest blog here, kicked off by my colleague, James Maasdorp.
In the meantime, stay safe Australia.
By Paul Johnson
Non-Ukrainian ships shelled by Russia
Ukraine said Russian warships shelled a Moldovan-flagged chemical tanker and a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship due to load grain near Odessa port in the Black Sea on Friday, one day after Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A total of three non-military vessels have now been hit since the start of the invasion. On Thursday, the Turkish-owned Yasa Jupiter cargo ship was struck off Odessa.
Ukraine's infrastructure ministry said that the Moldovan-flagged vessel, the Millennial Spirit, was carrying 600 tonnes of diesel at the time of the attack from a Russian military ship.
Earlier on Friday Moldova's naval agency said the crew of the Millennial Spirit was Russian and that two of them had been seriously injured.
"We just heard 10 minutes ago that all the crew were saved but two were seriously injured and are on the way to hospital," Mr Pavalachi said.
According to the Ukrainian ministry, the cargo ship Namura Queen was also hit by Russian missiles on Friday.
"According to the information of the traffic control and the service of the Harbor Master at 12:55 at anchorage point No.358 a rocket hit the stern of the mv 'NAMURA QUEEN'," Ukrainian shipping agent Stark Shipping based in Odessa said.
"The ship flying the flag of Panama was heading to the Pivdennyi port (ex. Yuzhny) to load grain ... There was a fire on the ship, the P&O STAR tug moved to the rescue. The situation is under control," it added.
Reuters
By Paul Johnson
Russia limits Facebook
Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor said it was partially limiting access to Meta Platforms Facebook in response to restrictions the US social media giant has imposed on Russian media, accusing Facebook of "censorship".
It was not immediately clear what the restrictions from Russia would involve.
Facebook's restrictions on Russian media came due to RT being considered a mouthpiece for the Kremlin.
By Paul Johnson
Russia expelled from Eurovision
Shortly after Finland said it will not send contestants to the Eurovision 2022 final if Russia is allowed to participate, the European Broadcasting Union punted Russia from the competition.
The EBU said on Thursday in a widely published statement that the contest was a "non-political cultural event" and that they were "currently planning" to host participants from Russia.
However they changed their decision after public broadcasters in Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Norway also urged the EBU to expel Russia.
By Paul Johnson
Putin calls for Ukraine armed forces to overthrow the government
As reports emerge from US and UK intelligence that Russian troops are advancing more slowly than anticipated on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for them to overthrow the Ukrainian government.
In a speech that was laden with unfounded accusations of Neo-Nazism against Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy, Mr Putin asked the military, currently fighting against invading Russian troops to save the Ukraine by removing the government.
Addressing the Ukrainian military in a televised address, he urged them to "take power in your own hands."
"It seems like it will be easier for us to agree with you than this gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis," Mr Putin said.
His claim against Mr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, and had relatives who were killed as part of The Holocaust has repeatedly been found to be baseless.
By Paul Johnson
Protests continue - this one in Dublin
This one is taking place outside the Russian embassy in Dublin as protesters chant "Putin is a liar".
By Paul Johnson
Here's what's happening in Kyiv
Russian troops are still yet to make their way to the heart of Ukraine's capital city which according to Mayor Vitaly Klitschko is in a defensive state.
The former boxing champion said this a couple of hours ago.
"The city has gone into a defensive phase. Shots and explosions are ringing out in some neighbourhoods saboteurs have already entered Kyiv. The enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us," Mr Klitschko said.
Ukrainian armed forces are in the city in tanks but many citizens have fled.
Ukraine's interior ministry says 18,000 guns have been given to volunteers. The ministry has also handed out instructions to citizens on how to make Molotov cocktails.
By Jacqueline Howard
EU will accept all people fleeing the violence in Ukraine
The European Union will accept all people fleeing the violence caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.
"We need to do everything to accept without delay the people who are now fleeing the bombs, the tanks," she told reporters as she arrived for a meeting with her EU counterparts in Brussels.
"We have tried everything to avert that day (of the invasion) but it has come all the same because the Russian president chose war over human lives. And this is why we will take in all the people that are fleeing now", Ms Baerbock said, adding she had already started to coordinate the distribution of Ukrainian refugees with countries such as Poland and Canada.
Reporting by Reuters
By Jacqueline Howard
By Jacqueline Howard
Russian forces disabling CCTV as they advance
Ground forces that moved into Ukraine from Crimea were caught on CCTV cameras as they advanced toward Kherson to the northwest.
The footage also showed how troops stopped and climbed up the masts and move the camera so they pointed downwards.
Officials reported heavy fighting around Kerson on Friday.
The Black Sea city sits on water reservoir used in the past to provide the bulk of fresh water for Crimea.
But Ukraine cut it with a dam in 2017 in response to Moscow’s 2014 annexation of the peninsula.
Reporting by Associated Press
By Jacqueline Howard
People wait to board an evacuation train from Kyiv to Lviv
By Jacqueline Howard
Greta Thunberg joins protests against invasion of Ukraine
Swedish climate and environment activist Greta Thunberg said on Twitter she was taking part in a protest on Friday outside the Russian embassy in Stockholm against its invasion of Ukraine.
Ms Thunberg, 19, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year, posted on Twitter a picture of her standing with other protesters holding a sign with "Stand With Ukraine" written on it, saying she was "outside the Russian embassy right now".
By Jacqueline Howard
Lviv put under curfew
From tonight, citizens in Lviv will require a pass to be allowed to move around the city between the hours of 10:00pm and 6:00am.
By Jacqueline Howard
Poland is preparing to close its airspace for Russian airlines
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said his government would prepare a resolution which will result in closing Poland's airspace for Russian airlines.
"I have ordered the preparation of a resolution of the council of ministers which will lead to the closure of the airspace over Poland to Russian airlines," Mr Morawiecki wrote on Facebook.
UPDATE: Poland has announced its skies will be closed to Russian airlines from midnight tonight.
By Jacqueline Howard
Russia ready to send delegation to Minsk for talks with Ukraine
Russia is ready to send a delegation to the Belarusian capital Minsk for talks with Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, a day after Moscow launched a massive invasion of its southern neighbour.
Mr Peskov told Russian news agencies Russia was willing to send a delegation including foreign and defence ministry officials.
Ukraine has said it is willing to discuss declaring itself a neutral county. Mr Peskov said demilitarisation would need to be an essential part of that.
Reporting by Reuters
By Jacqueline Howard
Kyiv mayor says the city has entered into a defensive phase
"The city has gone into a defensive phase. Shots and explosions are ringing out in some neighbourhoods saboteurs have already entered Kyiv. The enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us," Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko told a news briefing.
By Jacqueline Howard
The EU has decided to freeze Russian President Vladimir Putin's European assets
European Union envoys have met in Brussels to work out details of sanctions against Moscow. The bloc's leaders decided to freeze assets held in Europe by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
By Jacqueline Howard
Estonia sending anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft munitions to Ukraine
Estonia sending Javelin anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft munitions to Ukraine, public broadcaster ERR reported from the defence ministry.
"We are providing ...25,000 packages of dry food, medical equipment, personal equipment, ammunition, additional Javelin missiles and anti-aircraft munitions," the ministry's Secretary General Kusti Salm said.
By Jacqueline Howard
Russia says it has captured an aerodrome northwest of Kyiv
Russia's defence ministry says its forces have captured the strategic Hostomel aerodrome outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and landed paratroopers in the area.
It said the Russian military had blocked access to Kyiv from the west, and separatist forces in eastern Ukraine had attacked Ukrainian army positions with Russian army support.
