More than Half of Russian Troops Enter Ukraine... Troops Advance to 30km Outside Kyiv Capital

US Department of Defense Senior Official Briefing
"Ukrainian Forces' Desperate Resistance"

On the second day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, on the 25th (local time), Ukrainian soldiers are preparing for attacks by Russian forces under a bridge in downtown Kyiv. (Kyiv AP=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As Ukraine enters the third night since Russia's invasion, Ukrainian forces are reportedly holding off the Russian army's advance into Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, according to major foreign media outlets including the British BBC on the 26th (local time).

A senior U.S. Department of Defense official stated in a briefing that more than 50% of the Russian troops gathered near the Ukrainian border have entered Ukrainian territory and have currently deployed up to 30 km outside Kyiv.

The official explained, "Ukraine's resistance has been successful, and Russia has failed to create a decisive moment in the past 24 hours. Especially in northern Ukraine, Russian forces are struggling," adding, "The Russian army has encountered very determined resistance, resulting in a hesitant atmosphere."

However, Lesia Vasylenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker, warned on Twitter in the early hours of the 27th local time, "In 30 to 60 minutes, Kyiv will face an unprecedented attack. They will strike us with everything they have," signaling an imminent fierce assault.

Indeed, two large explosions lighting up the night sky were witnessed near Vasylkiv Air Base, about 30 km southwest of Kyiv, in the early morning. CNN reported that a missile strike caused a fire at the oil storage facility at Vasylkiv base.

Currently, the Ukrainian government has maintained a curfew for 39 hours, warning citizens not to go outside and to take shelter due to fears of enemy shelling. The curfew is expected to continue until 8 a.m. on the 28th.

More than 150,000 Ukrainians have already fled to neighboring countries such as Poland and Moldova by train or car, according to foreign media. Poland and Hungary have opened their borders to Ukrainians. The United Nations has warned that if the conflict escalates, the number of refugees could rise to 4 million.

Casualties are also increasing. The Ukrainian Minister of Health reported that 198 people, including three children, have died and over 1,000 have been injured. However, it remains unclear whether these figures include both military personnel and civilians.

Additionally, an aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that about 3,500 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded so far, and approximately 200 Russian soldiers have been captured.

President Zelensky, who is reportedly still in Kyiv, expressed his determination to resist and has been conducting diplomatic efforts to seek support from world leaders such as Pope Francis and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

On the same day, Western countries including the United States decided to exclude Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) payment system. This decision is expected to directly impact Russia's finances by restricting access to its estimated $643 billion (approximately 774.5 trillion KRW) foreign exchange reserves.

Additional arms support is also ongoing. Germany has agreed to supply Ukraine with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 portable infrared-guided surface-to-air missiles 'Stinger' for shooting down aircraft, as well as exporting 400 portable anti-tank rocket launchers (RPGs). Germany is also sending up to 10,000 tons of oil to Ukraine via Poland and is considering further support.

The United States announced an additional $350 million (approximately 421.5 billion KRW) in aid to Ukraine. France has also pledged additional military equipment and fuel, while the Netherlands and the Czech Republic have announced plans to send more weapons to Ukraine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.