Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert as Ukraine agrees to talks with Russia

Russian forces rolled into Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv as Moscow’s invasion that has rocked several parts of the country and killed hundreds of civilians entered a fourth day.

A fierce battle was underway Sunday in Kharkiv, where Russian troops blew up a natural gas pipeline before daybreak, according to the Ukrainian state agency.

“The Russian enemy’s light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre,” regional Governor Oleh Sinegubov said, urging civillians to remain inside.

Heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces erupted in Kharkiv following intensive overnight exchanges of rocket artillery, U.K.’s Ministry of Defense said in an update on Twitter.

Until Sunday, Russian troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 km (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces moved their offensive deeper into Ukraine.

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Meanwhile, in the capital Kyiv, where a curfew has been extended until Monday, clashes have subsided and Ukrainian forces were resisting the Russian offence.

“Russian forces are continuing to advance into Ukraine from multiple axis but are continuing to be met with stiff resistance from the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Britain’s defence ministry said.

As of Sunday, both Kyiv and Kharkiv remained in Ukrainian hands. The Kremlin said its troops were advancing “in all directions”.

After weeks of warnings from Western leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on Thursday from the north, east and south.

Putin has justified the invasion, saying “neo-Nazis” rule Ukraine and threaten Russia’s security – a charge Kyiv and Western governments say is baseless propaganda.

As Europe’s largest ground war since the Second World War rages on, a Russian delegation of military officials and diplomats arrived in neighbouring Belarus offering talks with Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was open to peace talks but rejected Russia’s offer, saying Belarus had been complicit in the invasion. Ukraine was happy to hold talks elsewhere, Zelenskyy said in a video message Sunday, naming Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues.

Putin hasn’t disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow’s Cold War-era influence.

— with files from Reuters and the Associated Press