As Russian troops circled Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday informed that,"We are controlling Kyiv and key points around the city. Who wants to come and help us do, we will arm you. We need to stop this war, we can live in peace."
He also turned down the US government’s offer to evacuate, insisting that he would stay and fight.
Zelensky posted a video on social media on Friday, reassuring people that he is still in the capital.
"We are all here. Our troops are here ... We are defending our independence, our state. And so it will continue," he said in the video, in which he and other government leaders were in front of the parliament building in Kiev, Xinhua news agency reported.
However, there were reports saying that he had fled.