Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Russia ready for talks if Ukraine’s Army stops fighting, says Russian minister

Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko said at least three people were injured when a rocket hit a multi-story apartment building in Ukraine’s capital on Friday, starting a fire.

Ukraine on Friday blew up the Tetri river bridge to stop the Russian tanks from coming inside the capital and interiors of the country.

The Ukrainian capital is expected to be surrounded by Russian forces this weekend and the country`s resistance is effectively crippled, US security officials fear.

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry in a statement on Friday claimed that it has inflicted 800 casualties among the Russian forces.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, on Friday marking the second day of the Russian assault on the western country.

The United States on Thursday introduced a fresh set of economic and trade curbs on Russia over what he called an “unprovoked” and “unjustified” invasion of Ukrainian territory.

Threatening Moscow with additional economic and trade sanctions, so far US’ only major against the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden said “Putin is an aggressor who chose war, the US will impose additional sanctions and export controls against Russia for invading Ukraine.

Meanwhile, on the war front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that according to preliminary figures, at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the Russian invasion began early on Thursday, and 316 soldiers have been wounded.

Moscow on early Thursday morning in an unprecedented and unscheduled televised address by President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of military operations in Ukraine following weeks of build-up.

Putin justified the attack as an act of self-defence against Ukraine’s alleged actions and genocide in the separatist region Donetsk and Luhansk.

Meanwhile, the White House has also announced that it is ready to accept Ukrainian refugees trying to flee the invasion.