The Loop: Devastation in Ukraine, Queen cancels more engagements after COVID diagnosis, time to decide Australia's Eurovision rep

Hello. It's Friday, February 25 and you're reading The Loop, a quick wrap-up of today's news headlines.

Let's start here

Pictures are emerging of the devastation in parts of Ukraine.

This residential building in Kyiv was damaged after Russia launched its military action on Ukraine. (Reuters: Umit Bektas)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says missile strikes are continuing, but it appears Russian forces have stopped advancing in most directions after the capital Kyiv was bombarded overnight.

People in Kyiv were forced to use underground rail stations as ad-hoc bomb shelters. (AP: Zoya Shu)

However, an adviser to Ukraine's Interior Minister says the country is expecting a Russian tank attack later on Friday (so late tonight/early tomorrow Australia time), and it may be "the hardest day" of the war.

The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service site was damaged by shelling in the capital Kyiv. (Reuters: Ukrainian State Border Guard Service)

ABC correspondent Isabella Higgins shared this update earlier this afternoon, but posted a follow-up not long ago saying guests had since been let out and "told to listen for further air raid sirens": 

You can follow the coverage as it happens with our live blog.

What else is going on

• The Queen has postponed two more virtual engagements due to ongoing COVID-19 symptoms, but is continuing with her "light duties" as she recovers. The 95-year-old spoke to British PM Boris Johnson over the phone for their weekly private conversation, which has been seen as an encouraging sign
• A former Australian soldier who says he had a "brain meltdown" when he stormed an animal shelter and kept a woman captive in order to liberate his missing cat has been jailed. Tony Wittman was armed with imitation guns, a hunting knife and a tomahawk when he stormed the Lost Dogs' Home, but later told police he had "no intention" of harming his victim

What Australia has been searching for online

• Kyle Sandilands. The radio host and his partner Tegan have brought out all the bells and whistles for the gender reveal of their unborn child with a boat party and coloured jet smoke (it's a boy, by the way)

• Sally Kellerman. The Oscar-nominated actor who was well-known for her role as Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in director Robert Altman's 1970 film M*A*S*H has died of heart failure aged 84

News alerts you might have missed

• A cyclone warning has been issued for coastal areas between the NT border and Mitchell Plateau in WA as a tropical low near Darwin moves west
• Three former Minneapolis police officers have been found guilty of depriving George Floyd of his rights by failing to help him before his death

Today's the day to sign up for ABC News mobile alerts. Head to the ABC News app homepage ➡️ Settings ➡️ Notifications and tailor your alerts to what you want to know.

One more thing

The live final of Eurovision — Australia Decides is on tomorrow.

Ten of our best will be performing for the chance to represent Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest, set to be held in Italy later this year.

There's piano balladry, prog metal, gospel and dance, as well as a series of firsts: the first duet, the first girl group and the first verse in Spanish thrown in for good measure. We'll be hearing from: 

• Jaguar Jonze
• Sheldon Riley
• G-Nat!on
• Voyager
• Charley
• Andrew Lambrou
• Paulini
• Jude York
• Isaiah Firebrace and Evie Irie
• Seann Miley Moore, and
• Erica Padilla

So you can't say there's a lack of choice on offer. Take a look at the 11 entries for this year's Australia Decides and get pumped for the show!

You can watch it on SBS tomorrow from 8:30pm AEDT, 8pm ACDT (SA), 7:30pm AEST (Qld), 7pm ACST (NT) and 5:30pm AWST (WA).

You're up to date

Thanks for reading, we appreciate you sticking with us.

ABC/wires