Ukraine has 'derailed' Russian attack plan: Zelensky

The Ukranian President said his country has "already" earned the right to join the European Union and urged the EU leaders to make that decision.

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said Ukraine's force had halted the Kremlin's push to capture Kyiv and oust him and urged Russians to pressure leader Vladimir Putin to stop the invasion.

Speaking in a new video address, Mr Zelensky accused Moscow of seeking to overthrow him and establish a puppet state in Ukraine.

"We've derailed their plan," the 44-year-old leader said, stressing that the Ukrainian army was in control of the capital Kyiv and main cities around it.

Mr Zelensky said Russians have deployed "missiles, fighters, drones, artillery, armoured vehicles, saboteurs, and airborne forces" against Ukraine and have hit "residential areas."

Also read: Russia-Ukraine crisis live updates | February 26, 2022

Mr Zelensky said Ukrainians had been fighting against Russians troops in a number of cities including the southern city of Odessa, the northeastern city of Kharkiv and the capital Kyiv. The western city of Lviv and other cities in western and central Ukraine have been targeted with air strikes, he said.