Russia-Ukraine crisis live updates: Russian strikes hit Kyiv

• Ukrainian officials are preparing for a Russian assault on the capital, Kyiv, as the full-scale attack enters a second day.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 137 people have been killed so far, including civilians.
• The UN’s refugee agency says about 100,000 Ukrainians have been displaced, with thousands fleeing to nearby European states.
• Western powers have announced sweeping sanctions on Russia.
• Hundreds of Russians have staged anti-war protests in cities across the country.

Here are all the latest updates:

36 seconds ago (08:54 GMT)

‘Armoured columns’ heading for Kyiv

Al Jazeera’s Andrew Simmons, reporting from Kyiv, says the situation there is rapidly “escalating in every respect”.

“That is not just in the air but on the ground as well – there are armoured [Russian] columns heading towards the city,” he said. “There is real anger in the air … and the hatred for Putin is palpable.

“Furthermore, there are a number of places in the city where people can get a gun of their choice, particularly an AK47, to defend themselves and that is the policy of the presidency. Zelenskyy wants everyone to fight.

“What we are going to find is that when these Russian forces reach the capital there is likely to be fierce resistance. The overall mood is one of horrendous fear of what’s going to happen next.”

6 mins ago (08:49 GMT)

Russian foreign minister to hold talks with Donbas officials

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with officials from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics of eastern Ukraine later on Friday in Moscow, his ministry says.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees on Monday to recognise two breakaway regions as independent statelets, before ordering what he termed a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions – collectively known as the Donbas – broke away from Ukrainian government control in early 2014 and proclaimed themselves independent “people’s republics.”

13 mins ago (08:42 GMT)

Ukraine slams ‘horrific’ strikes on Kyiv amid Russian advance

Invading Russian forces are pressing deep into Ukraine.

Deadly battles have reached the outskirts of Kyiv, and multiple explosions have been heard in the capital, with Ukraine’s besieged government accusing Russian forces of having carried out a slew of “horrific rocket strikes” in the city.

Read more here.

15 mins ago (08:39 GMT)

Russia claims captures of Black Sea island south of Odesa

Russia’s defence ministry claims its forces have captured Zmiinyi Island in the Black Sea.

The ministry said 82 Ukrainian soldiers stationed there had surrendered to Russian forces.

Ukrainian officials have said that all 13 border guards deployed on the island south of the port city of Odesa were killed by arms fire from a Russian warship.

Al Jazeera was unable to verify either side’s claims.

30 mins ago (08:25 GMT)

Kyiv says Russian forces have struck dozens of civilian sites: Report

Russian forces have bombed more than 30 civilian sites since the beginning of their attack on Ukraine, the country’s interior ministry has said, according to a report by the Interfax news agency.

“The Russians say they are not striking civilian objects. But 33 civilian sites have been hit over the last 24 hours,” Vadym Denysenko, a ministry official, was quoted as saying.

Zelenskyy has accused Russia’s forces of targeting Ukraine’s civilians [Genya Savilov/AFP]

39 mins ago (08:16 GMT)

Russia to deploy paratroopers to guard Chernobyl site

Russia will deploy paratroopers to help guard the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a spokesman for the country’s defence ministry has said.

Radiation levels at the plant are normal, the spokesman told a briefing. Russian troops captured the site during the first day of their invasion.

1 hour ago (07:53 GMT)

Ukrainian president appeals for ‘anti-war coalition’

Zelenskyy says he has spoken with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda to seek defence assistance from Eastern European members of NATO and help in bringing Russia to the negotiating table.

“We need [an] anti-war coalition,” the Ukrainian president tweeted.

Kyiv is an ally of NATO but not a full member of the United States-led transatlantic military alliance.

We defend our freedom, our land. We need effective international assistance. Discussed this with @AndrzejDuda. Appealed to the Bucharest Nine for defense aid, sanctions, pressure on the aggressor. Together we have to put