Russian invasion forces claim to have seized two small cities in southeastern Ukraine and the area around a nuclear power plant, but ran into stiff resistance elsewhere as Moscow's diplomatic and economic isolation deepened.
Western allies have announced sweeping new sanctions against Moscow as a defiant President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces were repelling Russian troops advancing on Kyiv.
Donald Trump has expressed empathy for Ukrainians and lauded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in an about-face following his praise of Vladimir Putin.
Allies from the US, Canada and Europe have announced sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin as anger grows over his country's invasion of Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told senior European officials that China respects countries' sovereignty, including Ukraine's, but that Russia's concerns about NATO's eastward expansion should be properly addressed.
Russia has ignored global condemnation to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, unleashing air strikes on cities and military bases in an attack that could rewrite the post-Cold War security order.
Ukraine has declared a state of emergency and told its citizens in Russia to flee while Russia began evacuating its Kyiv embassy in the latest ominous signs for Ukrainians who fear an all-out Russian military onslaught.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced Australia will impose a range of sanctions against Russia, saying its "invasion of Ukraine" has already begun.
