1 Mar 2022

Huge convoy of Russian military advances on Kyiv

From Checkpoint, 5:38 pm on 1 March 2022

A huge convoy of Russian military is advancing closer to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Satellite images show it is much longer than first thought - stretching 64 kilometres. US lawmakers have received classified briefings on the situation in Ukraine from top defence and intelligence officials.

They say the timeline for the fall of Kyiv and other cities was alarming and another said the fight for the capital would be long and bloody.

The bombardments overnight have been terrifying.

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky says the whole country needs to become a no fly zone for Russian aircraft.

The prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague says he plans to open an investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine as soon as possible.

The UN says more than half a million people have now fled Ukraine following Russia's invasion on Thursday.

The move came as Australia has pledged $105 million, $70 million of which will be dedicated to what Prime Minister Morrison described as "lethal support".

Ukraine is now allowing foreigners to enter the country without a visa to join its people in the fight against Russia.