Business Insider: 1.4 million civilians in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, have been told to take shelter as Russian troops begin siege
* Russian forces invaded Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, overnight.
* The city's governor urged its 1.4 million residents to remain indoors.
* Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline, and one residential building.
The 1.4 million residents in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, have been urged to shelter indoors after government officials said Russian troops had arrived.
In a statement on Sunday morning, Kharkiv's governor Oleg Sinegubov told people not to leave their homes after a "breakthrough of light equipment of the Russian enemy" reached the central part of the city.
A video verified by Sky News shows tanks driving into the city, which is located just 20 miles south of the Russian border. Russian troops blew up a nine-story residential block overnight, killing one elderly woman, the BBC reported, citing emergency services.
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WNU Editor: My aunt and her family lives in Kharkiv. I talked to her last night and with her son (my cousin) for the first time since the war started, and they gave me a lot of insight from what they saw in the past few days.
My aunt lives on the outskirts of Kharkiv, and she told me that Russian soldiers passed through her district yesterday morning unopposed. That does not surprise me. Where she lives is dominated by Russian-Ukrainians. I was there many times before 2014, and much of the regions outside of Kharkiv are made up of Russian-Ukrainians who I predict will try their best to stay neutral.
Her son's home and business is near the city center, and he decided for the safety of his family to get out on Friday. He told me that this is where Ukrainian forces are dug in (at least from what he saw on Friday). He expects heavy fighting in the center of the city, but his impression from what he has seen so far and what his friends are saying is that Russian forces are taking great pains not to engage with Ukrainian forces that are dug in among districts that are heavily populated or predominantly made up of Russian-Ukrainians. That when there is a fire-fight, they quickly withdraw. If this is true this is big news, this rule of engagement by Russian forces to minimize civilian casualties is a good thing, but it will prolong the war. There are many parts of Ukraine made up of communities like Kharkiv.
I also talked to a cousin who is sheltering in my father's home town 70km south of Kyiv. She has an interesting history. She was one of the first in Ukraine's business community to support Zelensky when he ran for office, hoping that he would bring peace to the country. And when that did not work, she still supported him because to her the alternative Ukrainian political parties were too corrupt and incompetent (on that I agree with her). Her tireless work to make Ukraine a better and prosperous country is something that I deeply respect, and Ukraine will need people like her when this war is finally over. She like everyone else in Ukraine did not expect this invasion, and she is (to put it mildly) still in shock.
When I asked her on what was the military situation where she is located, she told me that Russian forces have been present since Friday night. They tried to take over an airport, but Ukrainian forces were present and the engagement was short. She thinks these Ukrainian forces are still there, but she is always seeing Russian forces with their country's flag traveling back and forth on a highway not far from where she is located. She thinks this Russian military presence is a unit that advanced too far, and are waiting for reinforcements. She has seen no Ukrainian forces. Where she lives is 90% Ukrainian, and as such it will be a place that will not be hospitable to a Russian military presence. She thinks this war is going to go on for a few months, and she fears that the center of Kyiv is going to be destroyed. She likes to believe that what she is seeing on Ukraine media is true, but she is skeptical. We were also both surprised that we could talk on the phone. Russia has clearly made the decision to not cut-off communications, electricity, and other key infrastructure. But who knows how long that will last.
Russian Troops Enter Ukraine's Second-Biggest City Kharkiv
Kharkiv governor claims Russian troops repelled from city -- The Guardian
Ukrainians fend off Russian invasion in Kharkiv, Kyiv -- UPI
Russian troops enter Ukraine's Kharkiv -Ukrainian official -- Reuters
Ukraine accuses Russia of 'war crimes' targeting civilians as fighting enters Kharkiv -- CNN