Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is entering its 12th day. Military conflicts change quickly, so it can be hard to keep up.

Here’s a summary of the latest information about Russia’s invasion.

Russian attacks on civilian areas grow

Russia has continued to attack several Ukrainian cities with bombs and troops.
A Ukrainian official said Russian forces had intensified their bombing of civilian areas in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Mykolaiv. Olha Stefanishyna, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, said Russia had bombed hospitals, kindergartens, and schools and called their actions “terroristic”.
One of the worst-hit cities is Mariupol. A temporary ceasefire had been agreed to allow residents to evacuate, but two attempts have failed and hundreds of thousands of people remain trapped in the city.
There have also been reports of civilians being shot while trying to flee Irpin, near Kyiv, with at least four killed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has continued to strike a defiant tone. He has called on Ukrainians to “drive this evil” out of their cities and also appealed directly to Russians to speak out.
“Russian nationals: this is the fight not just for the peace in Ukraine. This is the fight for your freedom, for your life… don’t be silent,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia’s actions will only stop if Ukraine surrenders.
Anti-war protests have also continued in Russia in recent days. Human rights media organisation OVD-Info has estimated more than 13,000 Russians have been arrested since the invasion began.

Calls for no-fly zone

Zelensky has repeatedly asked the West to enact a ‘no-fly zone’ over Ukraine to stop Russian aerial attacks. No-fly zones are implemented with force (for example, by shooting down planes that enter the zone).
They have been used by the West before, including by the U.S. before the Iraq war and by NATO in Eastern Europe in the 1990s.
President Vladimir Putin has said any declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine will be considered as a “participation in the armed conflict”.
For this reason, the West has so far rejected the idea. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week that although he could “understand the desperation” in Ukraine, he feared a no-fly zone “could lead to a full-fledged war in Europe involving much more countries and much more suffering… we will provide support, but we will not be part of the conflict”.
However, the U.S. appears likely to agree to Zelensky’s request to provide more planes to Ukraine’s military.
In a statement after a meeting with Zelensky, Senator Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democratic majority in the U.S. Congress, said he was working with Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell to approve a $10 billion aid package. “These planes are very much needed. And I will do all I can to help,” Schumer said.