Ukrainian and Russian troops fight on streets of capital Kyiv

A high-rise apartment block was hit by shelling overnight in Kyiv as the fighting raged, emergency services said.  The authorities said the number of victims was "being specified" and that an evacuation was underway. 

They posted a picture online of the tower block with a hole covering at least five floors blasted into the side and rubble strewn across the street below. Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said online that the building had been hit by a "projectile".  In Kyiv's city centre, journalists heard loud explosions early Saturday. "Heavy fighting continues," the State Special Communications Service of Ukraine posted on its telegram account. 

Ukraine's military said Russia had "attacked one of the military units on Victory Avenue in Kyiv" but that the assault had been "repulsed". It also reported another incident northwest of the capital. 

Kyiv said 137 people, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed. Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry said "two enemy targets were shot down" -- identifying them as a Russian SU-25 helicopter and a military bomber -- near the separatist zone in the east. A Russian transport plane had also been "knocked down" near Vasylkiv, a town roughly 30 kilometres (19 miles) southwest of Kyiv, the ministry added on its official Facebook page.

Earlier, small arms fire and explosions were heard in the capital's northern district Obolonsky as what appeared to be an advance party of Russia's invasion force left a trail of destruction. Ukrainian forces reported fighting with Russian armoured units in two locations between 40-80 kilometres north of Kyiv. The Ukrainian defence ministry said 2,800 Russian soldiers had been killed, without providing evidence.  Moscow has yet to report on casualties.