Ukraine invasion: President says his forces still control Kyiv: Update

Map shared by AFP news agency

Ukraine's president has said his forces are still in control of Kyiv and is appealing to the country's "friends" abroad to join the fight.

"Every friend of Ukraine who wants to join Ukraine in defending the country please come over, we will give you weapons." He appealed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has won praise for standing his ground and for not fleeing the country in the face of the Russian invasion.

While he is being contrasted with former Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani who fled Kabul when the Taliban captured it, Zelensky has also rejected the offer of the United States to evacuate the country. "I need ammunition, not a ride," the president said.

On the other side, some more countries are coming in favour of restrictions on Russia. Though a Decision yet to be made on locking Russia out of Swift's international payment system, Hungary has said it supports Russia being cut off from the Swift cross-border financial payments system, according to Poland’s prime minister.

Lithuania has joined its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Latvia in closing its airspace to Russian aircraft. Poland, the UK, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria also have closed their airspace. Russia responded in kind, introducing similar bans on flights from the countries.

French authorities seize cargo ships with Russian flags in the English Channel.

Now the Ukrainian defence forces are battling to keep control of the capital, Kyiv, and other cities around the country.

'Bulk' of Russian forces advancing on capital now 19 miles from the city centre. It is being said that the battle will reach a concluding point by late night today.