under some nation seeks to and corona virus restrictions, we bring you the latest updates and developments from around the globe. march on a jetta. ah, russian troops are closing in on the ukrainian capital residents near kia have been ordered not to leave their homes. ah, hello again. i am peter w, watching al jazeera, also coming up in the next hour. moscow vows to retaliate after the european union and several countries including the us imposed sanctions. green's president says that the sanctions are not enough, and he has accused his allies of standing by as his country fights russia alone.

and saint petersburg has been stripped of this year's champions league final in favor of paris. ah, the fighting is intensifying in ukraine as russian troops are closing in on the capital, kia, if there are fears that russia wants to encircle the city. gunfire and explosions have been heard in the district of oblong that's in northern kia and sent people running for cover. citizens had been ordered to stay indoors. it comes after overnight strikes on kia residents have been evacuated after rockets hit residential buildings in the ukranian army. and says russia fired on civilian areas, but its air defense systems repelled the attacks. moscow has denied carrying out missiles strikes on here. if the u. n. 's refugee agency says about 100000

ukrainians have already been displaced. thousands of fleeing to nearby european countries. russia has closed its air space to planes from the u. k. it comes off to london band aero flock. from landing in britain, the kremlin says it will retaliate against western sanctions. natasha gun m has more. me a sec don to vladimir putin's war on ukraine. mushroom devastation in the heart of the capital. kiev ukrainian air defenses shut down a rushing jet over night air raid sirens continue to pierce the sky. russian tanks are reported to be on their way to the seat of power putting decided to go for clearly forecasts. so it's a behaving strategy that we are watching here. and yes, the russian forces are not probably made as quickly progress as the expected.

pretty obvious that the russian forces will prevail at some point. what he wants to do is to to impose the terms he wants robbie to have a regime that he see that sympathetic to, to he's a twisted vision of these great russia. us defense secretary lloyd austin, warned, russian forces are about 30 kilometers outside of the capitol. overnight the ukranian president addressed what russia has been saying is its primary concern. yes, of a tough, shouldn't you? today i vas can 27 european leaders where the ukraine will be in 90. so i have asked directly everyone is afraid, no one answers, but we are not afraid. we are not afraid of anything that we are not afraid to defend our country. we are not afraid of russia. we're not nicer members at the moment, but what guarantees will we kiss? and most importantly, which countries will give us those guarantees. so she has the kremlin,

has launched a multi pronged attack by air, land and sea military is hitting major cities across the country, including carcass morrow, paul, at the bro. northeast of the capital in the region of sumi and official, provided a grim update, missouri, missouri. unfortunately populated areas of semi region are under siege. military vehicles are moving towards kia and heading to the vest. ukraine has banned all men between the ages of 18 and 60, from leaving the country. they're being told to stay and fight. many are desperate to leave. after weeks of threats, people here simply didn't believe it could happen. now on day 2 of the onslaught, there are fears that the arrival of russian soldiers in the capital is imminent. natasha name al jazeera live now took care of and my colleague, our correspondent,

andrew simmons who's tracking all the developments for us during the course of these rolling hours here on al jazeera, under. as far as we know, those tanks, where are they this is the multi $1000000.00 question. the there is other arc columns of tanks, comma cummins columns of 8. he sees armored personnel carriers coming from all directions. that is, the answer i can give in terms of exact distance that is unclear. there are russian forces only 10 killer mom kilometers away in this direction, which is the north west. there have been fights between the ukrainians and russian soldiers, but we have only seen so far armored personnel carrier what looks like one anyway. and another military vehicle. its armed is not a tank. it is, is basically another troop carrier. now what happened was that they approached the,

they approached her or because of some something like 2 hours ago. and they actually only got as far as something like of a few meters beyond the ivan cough the even cough bridge. now that bridge was blown up by ukrainian forces, so any column following would have been stopped in its tracks. whether or not they actually cause the fire fight is unknown, or whether or not further down the road. these armored vehicles showed up, and then there was a fight there of pictures of one dead soldier on the ground. the ministry of defense put out warnings to a residence in the area. it's a residential district. and they asked people to defend themselves with their weapons or even with molotov cocktails. that was the official a statement that went out from the ministry of defense. so that was a certainly, it's some ongoing situation. we, we have heard,

recent air strikes there or missile strikes, although the russians are denying point blank. they're firing any missiles in to ukraine at all. elsewhere. we have a situation whereby the president is saying categorically that he is in the capitol a even though his aids are saying that the objective of the russian operation is to take out the leadership of the state and to kill the president. now he is posting as regularly as you can imagine on there's the on facebook mainly, and basically assuring his public that he is here. and people should fight all the way that they will defy and beats russians. that's quite an awesome challenge. when you look at the sort of armory, they're using the regularity of the ass strikes and, and just the general conflict in the way it's turning out because it would appear

that these columns are these alma columns. one is coming from the north, from better roost. and that is that column is having a problem in that's along the road south. it is a part of it has been held up by resistance in a town, only 10 kilometers from the border. they're trying apparently, from the latest reports to bypass that town. now the question either a so many questions, but i have to pass it on. there is a question over where the rest of the column is because it would appear that the rest of the call did get through. and so we are unsure of just what sort of advance there is there, but from the east there's another advance going on. they are based. that's a more, that's another strike from the north west direction. it looks like anyway that there are, there are still movements from those most directions from the north and the east and from the south also. and also the, the roots movement from the west. and so you're getting

a situation whereby there is an overall operation along the western corridor coming up to actually come together all of these forces to come together and in circle the capital. and away from the capital away from kiev are in ha keys. we understand people there, lots of them are copycatting that because they have to that they're doing what the people in key ever doing. they are taking shelter in the metro system because the mayor of khaki has told them to do that because it's the safest place to be they have no other alternative and indeed they were doing it. some of them they were doing just that ahead of the people of key if that there is, there is a dire situation in harkey and the 2nd city of ukraine and it's come on the really intense barrages of artillery far of missile fire. and indeed air strikes, so they, they have long loans and there is

a different sort of conflict going on there. it's as if you've got different battles all over the country using different lethal resources. you got me the navy in the us off see with they've already used they're, they're very true carriers to drill carries to great effect. they've actually used the amphibious boats to actually bring in so many troops in an armory. and of course they've got, they've also got battleships that can shell long distance. so you that the could be an operation from the sea that we haven't seen yet. that hasn't happened yet. so those that going on there is a different tactics with, with missiles or the, the ukrainians say that they absolutely adamant that they shot down to cruise missiles overnight along with that. so that's a bummer, that bomb of that fight about me. you saw in the trashes reports, so we're, we're seeing now really a consolidation further south in antoniette landscape. you'll see

a consolidation of the position there and you're seeing an all out thrust to try to take the capital. how far away is the serious armory? that's a question mark, how far away are the troops trying to get through and cause disruption. and also a lot of a lot of that has be a lot of our agents are russian agents according to sources in the ministries, the defense, the interior ministry, and the intelligence agencies. there are a, an uniforms plain clothes, people on the ground. well, he just squeezed the so you can't, it's very hard to assess who is who? because there are so many people armed and, and also there are a lot of private. but the bodyguard agent says to, to try to make sure the richer safe, the try and make sure various military of military officers are saved. these

private guards are being seen quite a lot. we saw when we encountered what moved about to do a live report. we had to withdraw that there was a very large, a guy in without doubt it did not look like regular army. and there were 3 other men looking. they were, they had body, they had body armor, bernice suits, dark glasses, the luxury cow body. the armored car was, was dark and windows, that sort of things happening all over. and of course there is this warning going out about saboteurs. so, and also a sleeper cells as a confirmed reports of sleeper cells that the russians have got that they're just now going into action, either plainclothes or otherwise, which might explain, you never know, it might explain what's been going on in the north west, in terms of that encounter, along with the, that the column that can't get over the bridge. but basically all directions look in any direction. and the russians are moving towards the capital. and some people

feel, you know, the, the, the end game could be imminent in terms of the attempt to try to take the state officials. but in terms of the battle as a whole, ukrainian forces are doing remarkably well in resilience. their defense is, haven't been destroyed as the russians claim. and there is also that just to add to, to my report, there is also a report that's been confirmed now that rockets fired by ukraine have targeted an ad. seals are in right in russia and ross got near ross. gov. i don't know what the result of that was. we're not sure but that that is a report that that's been confirmed and in terms of other action the ukrainians are taking that they are using their what's left of their air force as much as they can or to back up their troops. and they, while using it would seem quite effectively the javelin missile system that they

a received a ahead of this conflict and got a lot of those serve systems in place. and they are seeing some results in repelling tanks and armored cars. and briefly, if you can and replace back column of tanks, supported by apc's personnel carriers, et cetera, that seems to have made its way down to the capital city from the border with beller roofs. in one sense, would it be fair to say, it doesn't matter whether they intend to try to encircle kia or go into kias. but when we see the imagery of russian tanks in the city and circling the city, the impact of that, the symbolism of that will not be lost on any one. no, but certainly not. and then this will be giving a bit of a shut it down your back to say the least because this will be

a classic military tactic we've seen in georgia. we've seen in the 2nd world war we've seen in classic battle situations that you have a, a capital city and circled and then siege are attack at street the street fighting . i really would, would be surprised if russia was going to go into that sort of situation when you consider so many people are armed and there is a lot of a lot of resilience. the spirits is extraordinary amongst the even the volunteers and indeed the civilians who some of them have no idea how to use a gun. they pick them up as if they were, they were sort of food supplies. that there is, there is a can obviously it doesn't by thinking about, but they may not be the tactic. and it's it, we have to emphasize time and time again that we are, we have no confirmation that the armored column is actually in place in that district, only 12 to 15 kilometers away. we know that that column is traveling down that road

and we know that the bridge along it has been blown. they could have been a withdraw. that could have been a move around to get another route. we don't know yet, but there is some effective resistance in the suburbs from the ukrainian forces, but will it be overrun? overrun unclear. we're not sure, and we'll keep you updated and with many thanks and resume, as they're reporting, live that from a kiev. ok. let's take a brief look at what's happening on the ground this our russian forces half a tank. there is a cross ukraine, f. andrew was telling us there are multiple cities coming under fire. this is the approximate location of those strikes russian troops that moved in by land, by and by sea to the east, from russia, south, from the region around crimea, and north from the, by the russian side. but have also the naval attacks from the sea of as off

russians. foreign minister, 2nd lever offset. the operation 6 to demilitarize ukraine. mister lover of accused the ukrainian president of being insincere, was more than this. do you think we can, he is simply lying to you when he says he's ready to discuss ukraine's neutral status. we suggested all sorts of options and president, putin disgusted with mack rocks and he said it directly. the expansion of nato is unacceptable. we want to seek further security options, which would be guaranteeing demands for ukraine, european nations and russia. but our demands on security guarantees have not been met live to moscow and or search about a monitoring speech for us. what else did he have to say daughter? as well as her lover on basically says that everything that we want to know has already been said by a lot of me putting in a number of televised speeches to that. he has said that what is happening is for specific reason of what has taken place. in eastern ukrainian,

the regions of done yet scanned the guns, and the foreign minister said that they are confident that the military operation in ukraine will come to an end in the coming days. we also heard as a similar statement from the head of the don. yes, peoples republic, and he said that earlier they believed that they will go back to claiming as their initial borders in you grab that area in eastern ukraine within the next few days. of course, the fighting in that region started because the separatist, a leaders, they are, they want to restore their original borders that they have under their constitution . they believe that there they land, that is now part of ukraine is rightfully theirs. and they asked that the russia military for help, and that is why vladimir putin sent in a military rushes military to assist with their requests. now, what they're doing in the rest of the country, nobody has yet answered that question. the foreign minister said that they are

doing everything they can to try and restore order and a piece in ukraine. they said that this government is not a representative of the entire population and that they are hoping they will be able to m, bring back the requests and as the desires of the ukrainian people and their independence. this is something of course the government in care of is strongly denied and they said that a brush has just using all these as an excuse to invade the country. the foreign minister also said that russian troops have absolutely no desire to occupy ukraine, but he didn't specify when they would leave a. what is the objective at the moments when they take over a city? what do they do? what happens next? it's all very unclear at the moment and a very fluid situation, of course, and we're not getting a lot of information from russia's defense ministry, about any kind of official figures about the casualty figures or

a military equipment that they've lost in the process or to the optics, the in moscow surrounding the whole issue of these sanctions, these hot hitting sanctions, we understand those so, i mean, is there a feeling though that able to, to mr. person at all? no, absolutely not of letting me put in has sat in the past that any kind of sanctions imposed on this country. they can 1st withstand them and to they would actually hurts the other side, imposing it more than it would the russians because there is a lot of foreign investment in this country. and many analysts have spoken to over the past few weeks. and they said that, you know, russia is not like iran or north korea, they are part of the international economic community. there is a lot of business that this country does with the world and for sanctions to take place. they really would also hurt the other sy imposing it because they would inevitably be affected by it as well. but we have to remember that just over the

past 24 hours, the russian currency has lost both 30 percent of its value. and the russian stock market also plummeted drastically. that caused the officials to close it for a few hours. and we have heard figures from an official saying that outside of russia saying that to the a number of rushes that wealthiest men have actually lost $39000000000.00. and in less than 24 hours as a result of was taken place. and i think that figure will only increase after we heard of these sanctions coming into place. but live in, put in has said that they have a very much works on insulating their financial sector here. and they're not as reliant on the western countries for their economy as much as the west is reliant and russia so therefore they're not to be if they're likely to be that affected by sanctions door. so thank you very much. torso jibari. i corresponded the with a little bit of the bureau in moscow. let's talk now to let a me

a pasta. cough. he's a research fellow at the university college london. he joins sounds going from there. a lot of me, apostrophe, welcome to al jazeera, has led him your puts in, essentially here crossed the rubicon over which he cannot then do a u turn and retract. i think the problem was that he was blocked in the corner because it wasn't his doing to cross this rubicon and it was absolutely not the purpose with you in all this length and war. she had an illusion that he could block for the ready war and the west and you praying will be delayed and sit down and said there was hugh. 10 some questions he wants to be settled. he prepared for the war. you went to the closing cause of the war and

then in one moment when west refused to sit down with him and cupid too late, he was books in because he'd come blot forever. so that's which looks like offensive, but the strange war or the meant already last, russia has conservatively 600000000000 and reserves in gold and other 300000000000 and a so called sovereign, well, fun just looking at the figures here, the arithmetic online. that's almost a trillion dollars. that seems it feels like that's an awful lot of insulation against the impact of sanctions. yes, he's sleeping on we're good to be lou. and the problem is that any for michael to view and routine sanctions everything. what we have seen before will not give immediate result. so the question,

there are 2 questions for me. all the question number one hope was not the worst, but the majority of all that will last will be in was in destruction, or a little bit of time after even operation in the, in the green will be one or another way. because all the assumptions will have some result, like in 2 or 3 years now, because now he started the war only because he was well prepared for exponentially . and what i see now, but now it's as so finance or in some sense because the sell, he's keeping the price one or than guess what? we're a high level. so the question is, you've suction will continue for 6 boxes and everyone will say, okay,

so he's the forget about that. it's not even the section where 234 years really need war. so that he's in the process of the 5 year. it's not one night 3, it's a little and secondly, it's not a question sumption. the key question is, how you will resolve the problem or replacing or rush and guess in the world by the get some other suppliers here. this problem will vary. so within months is, or at least within that, that be a real sumption if the russian forces, ah, and it might happen quite quickly, literally, within hours today or tomorrow, if they get the stage where they are in effect, occupying the ukrainian capital kiddos. and they choose not to wait for a process of natural wastage, i. e, for mister zalinski to lose his job as ukrainian president ought to be replaced by

somebody else. if mister putin decides to detain arrest or secrete away, the current ukrainian president, if mister putin has mister zelinski, literally in his grasp, what did he do with him? ah, look what are 6? thank you for your patricia list who give a few minutes to listen. the picture, what i would need to you will be more benefits. surgery i would say is i think it's up to the ratios, the mental status in which he's being right now. he will try to organize yes. follow course. sure. we were similar to what happened with the previous president we brain who was just you for

several years ago for hughes. be trading. it would be green. so i didn't know if, for example, we didn't, the office will not be afraid of how i don't believe so what the proposal is that mr. will bring the unit which taking him from that warehouse work, it was kept for 8 years somewhere in the struggle. so was for him to keep saying that that is it will print it up, will be brain which will replace you and everybody else just crew in those who need to be charged by the new government to be great. so i think that the most probable ok, as i say, events moving very, very rapidly on the ground. let me has to cough good to get your thoughts at this time. thank you very much. put our bill who needs in the city of crime,

a talking eastern ukraine with the streets are unusually quiet as residents do what they're told and stay at home. well actually at the moment, nothing is happening, but that is exactly what is worrying everyone here. and nick, a camera man is just going to pan to you to show you. we've been around this city. it is completely shut down everything. shops, business is barely. anyone on the streets, banks are shut down as we understand that there is no more money in the atm machines. and actually we were standing at a little while ago and police is very much an edge. they came and checked on us and they told us to be very, very careful about the situation and to not trust at this car. now this part of the country was expecting that this whole invasion would have started

here at the beginning. well, that did not happen, but they say this is just a matter of time because after all, at the end of the day, the ambition of all of this is to get the den. yes. and the runs region and to give them to the separate is at the moment the front line is cub, the ukrainian army is able to hold that this fight. sometimes the a separate is advancing a little bit, but then having to retreat. now we did see earlier surface to air missiles, mom, the ukranian government heading towards that line of contact overseas, trying to make sure that russian of the asian could not come over this part of the city. a lot of people are also very worried that maybe at some point the bridges because we've heard reports about bridges being bombed from either side to that

will be completed, that this part of the country will be completely cut off. so you do have people who are starting to think about where to go or not, where we can make now can show you a little bit more this treat. i mean, there you go. this with, this is a city of a 150000 people. we've been here before, all of this started. you were to have people walking around, especially at this time of the day. it's 12 o'clock here where there is barely anyone, really, it is quite a last night. the electricity of this city was cut off on the streets, not in the houses. and today we were told to be close to the shelters. people here were due to be close to the shelters and maybe to expect that they will be at some, shelly, so certain, the, a lot of apprehension this calm is actually worrying people more than it's actually something that happened because know everybody keeps asking what.