Russian forces enter Ukraine’s second city, gas pipelines explode

Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles entered the northeastern city of Kharkiv on Sunday on the fourth day of an invasion that has shaken Europe’s long-standing security architecture.   

Ukraine’s fighters repelled the attack, according to authorities in the city, the country’s second largest with a population of about 1.4 million people.   

Firing and explosions could be heard, witnesses said. A burning tank was visible in a video posted by the government.   

Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline in Kharkiv before daybreak, a Ukrainian state agency said. Both Ukraine’s gas pipeline operator and Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom said the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine, vital for Europe’s energy needs, was unaffected.   

The invasion of Ukraine from three sides ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin is the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two.   

The attack, which Russia calls a special operation, has so far failed to topple the government in Kyiv or take major cities, but has driven hundreds of thousands of refugees, mainly women and children, into neighbouring countries. At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed in Russia’s invasion, the head of Ukraine’s Health Ministry was quoted as saying.   

Ukraine’s Western allies ratcheted up their response to Russia’s land, sea and air invasion with an almost blanket ban on Russian airlines using European airspace.   

Russian troops are believed to have entered Ukraine from Belarus, a close ally of Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
KYIV, Feb 27 Reuters

Ukrainian refugee outflow hits 368,000, still rising - U.N.

ZURICH, Feb 27 Reuters- Some 368,000 people have fled abroad from the fighting in Ukraine, the U.N. refugee agency said on Sunday, citing data provided by national authorities.  

“The current total is now 368,000 and continues to rise,” UNHCR said via Twitter.  
Damage to civilian infrastructure has left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity or water. Hundreds of homes had been damaged or destroyed, while bridges and roads hit by shelling had left some communities cut off from markets, it said.  

“U.N. agencies and humanitarian partners have been forced to suspend operations due to the deteriorating security situation,” the OCHA said.