US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Washington is documenting the reports to make sure relevant organisations can investigate whether war crimes have been committed.
Look back on all of Saturday's updates as they happened.
Key events
- More than 3,500 detained at anti-war protests in Russia
- US says reports of Russia targeting civilians are very credible
- Ukraine SES claims one dead in Vinnytsia Airport attack
- Ukraine says Russian rockets target nuclear reactor
- Zelenskyy continues call for no-fly zone over Ukraine after airport destroyed
- Ukraine official says assault halts evacuations for a second day
- Kyiv digs in for battle as fighting flares in areas nearby
- Vladimir Putin tells Turkey President that it will cease when Ukraine stops fighting
- Ukraine President says Russia has destroyed Vinnytsia Airport
- Number of Ukrainian refugees passes 1.5 million
- Ceasefire in Mariupol begins
- Thousands of women, children and elderly wait to cross the border in zero-degree chill
- Biden welcomes Visa, Mastercard decisions on Russia
- US condemns Russia's new media law
- Missiles, ammunition supplied by Australia arrives in Ukraine
- Visa, Mastercard suspend Russian operations
- Concern grows over Mariupol
- PM discusses security situation with Zelenskyy
- Number of Ukrainian refugees could rise to 1.5 million by end of weekend
- Ukraine makes 'desperate plea' for help
- Putin says Western sanctions are akin to declaration of war
Live updates
By Michael Doyle
That is all for the blog
We are closing the blog for this evening.
Thank-you to everyone who read the blog today.
You can stay up to date with the latest online with ABC News and on the app.
Goodnight.
By Michael Doyle
More than 3,500 detained at anti-war protests in Russia
More than 3,500 people were detained at protests across Russia on Sunday against President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to data provided by the interior ministry.
Russia's interior ministry said 1,700 people had been detained in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg and 1,061 in other cities.
The interior ministry said 5,200 people had taken part in the protests.
The OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it had documented the detention of at least 2,578 people in 49 different cities.
Reporting by Reuters
By Michael Doyle
Ukraine exodus is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since WWII says UNHCR chief
More than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into neighbouring countries in the space of 10 days.
The is the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since WWII, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Sunday.
Reporting by Reuters
By Michael Doyle
US says reports of Russia targeting civilians are very credible
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the United States has seen 'very credible reports' of deliberate attacks on civilians by Russian forces in Ukraine.
He said Washington was documenting these reports to make sure relevant organisations can investigate whether war crimes have been committed.
"We've seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians which would constitute a war crime," Mr Blinken told CNN's State of the Union show.
"We've seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons."
Reporting by Reuters
By Michael Doyle
UN says 364 civilians killed in Ukraine since start of invasion
At least 364 civilians are confirmed to have been killed in Ukraine since Russian troops invaded and another 759 wounded, although the true numbers are probably "considerably higher", a UN monitoring mission said on Sunday.
Reporting by Reuters
By Michael Doyle
Ukraine SES claims one dead in Vinnytsia Airport attack
The Ukraine SES has posted a video of the aftermath of a missile strike at the Vinnytsia Airport.
Ukraine President Volomydyr said eight missiles hit the airport, destroying it.
In a video posted by the Ukraine SES, it said four people were pulled from the rubble, with one dying from the attack.
By Michael Doyle
Video shows missile flying over Gnivan City, south of Vinnytsia, before Vinnytsia airport was hit on Sunday
By Michael Doyle
'Living in terror': International Committee of the Red Cross says ceasefire has failed
The International Committee of the Red Cross says people in the city of Mariupol are desperate as a ceasefire in the city to allow civilians to leave failed for a second consecutive day.
The ICRC has people in the city of Mariupol to try and facilitate the evacuation.
"People are living in terror in Mariupol, desperate for safety," it said.
"Today’s attempt to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people has failed.
"The failed attempts underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between parties to the conflict."
By Michael Doyle
Ukraine says Russian rockets target nuclear reactor
Ukraine's national security service says Russian forces are firing rockets at a physics institute in the city of Kharkiv that contains nuclear material and a reactor.
The security service said a strike on the nuclear facility could lead to "large-scale ecological disaster."
The service said on Facebook Sunday that the Russians were firing from Grad launchers. Those missiles do not have precise targeting, raising concern that one would go astray.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated a request for foreign protectors to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which NATO so far has ruled out because of concerns such an action would draw the West into the war.
"The world is strong enough to close our skies," Zelenskyy said in a video address on Sunday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Moscow would consider a third-party declaration to close Ukrainian airspace to be a hostile act.
By Michael Doyle
Zelenskyy continues call for no-fly zone over Ukraine after airport destroyed
Ukraine President Volomydyr has again called for the west to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine in a video address on Sunday.
His call came as he announced eight missiles struck an airport in Vinnytsia, around 250km sout-west of Kyiv.
"Eight missiles were shot at our city, at our peaceful and kind Vinnytsia which hasn't threatened Russia in any way," Mr Zelenskyy said.
"A harsh and cynical strike completely destroyed the airport.
"Create humanitarian airspace without missiles and aerial bombs. We are people and this is your humanitarian duty to protect us and to protect people."
By Michael Doyle
Tayyip Erdogan urges Putin to declare Ukraine ceasefire, make peace
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement, his office said.
NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. Ankara has called Russia's invasion unacceptable and offered to host talks, but has opposed sanctions on Moscow.
In a statement after a one-hour phone call, the Turkish presidency said Mr Erdogan told Mr Putin that Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
"President Erdogan, who said an immediate ceasefire will not only ease humanitarian concerns in the region but also give the search for a political solution an opportunity, renewed his call of 'let's pave the way for peace together'," his office said.
"Erdogan emphasised the importance of taking urgent steps to achieve a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement," it said.
The Kremlin said Mr Erdogan was told Russia would only halt its military operation if Ukraine stopped fighting and if Moscow's demand were met, adding the operation was going to plan.
Reporting by Reuters
By Michael Doyle
Ukraine official says assault halts evacuations for a second day
A Ukrainian official says a second attempt to evacuate civilians from a southern city under siege for a week has failed due to continued Russian shelling.
Evacuations from the port city of Mariupol were scheduled to begin at noon local time (9pm AEDT) during a 10am to 9pm local ceasefire, Ukrainian military authorities said earlier Sunday.
Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations along designated humanitarian corridors were halted because of an ongoing assault.
"There can be no 'green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom," he said on Telegram.
A similar cease-fire planned for Mariupol and the nearby city of Volnovakha collapsed Saturday, trapping residents under more shelling and aerial bombardment by Russian forces.
Reporting by Associated Press
By Michael Doyle
Russia planning to encircle Dnipro, Ukraine security official says
Russia is mustering forces to encircle the Ukrainian city of Dnipro and is turning its main attention to cutting Ukraine off from the Black Sea, Ukraine's top security official Oleksiy Danilov wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Russia still intended to try to capture Kyiv, he said.
Separately, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said Ukraine was expecting 639 million euros from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to support the economy during the Russian invasion.
Reuters
By Michael Doyle
Kyiv digs in for battle as fighting flares in areas nearby
Ukrainian soldiers bolstered defences around Kyiv on Sunday, digging trenches, blocking roads and liaising with civil defence units as Russian forces bombarded the surrounding areas and attacked towns and villages nearby.
While the armed forces and civilian volunteers dug in, thousands of people continued to try to flee the city of 3.4 million as fears of a full assault spread.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 and has concentrated its heaviest attacks on the south and east of the country, besieging cities including Mariupol and Kharkiv with artillery fire and airstrikes and causing extensive damage and casualties.
Kyiv has been spared the worst of the fighting so far, but intense battles have raged in surrounding towns and villages and Russia's defence ministry released footage on Sunday of some of its tracked military vehicles on the move near the capital.
Video provided by Ukraine's armed forces taken on Saturday in the Kyiv region, showed Ukrainian efforts to defend the capital, with piles of sandbags and concrete slabs laid across a main road, while Ukrainian soldiers carefully checked passing cars.
A smaller road was blocked by metal "hedgehog" anti-tank barriers, and machine gun positions had been erected. Molotov cocktails were lined up on the side of the road, as civilians vowed to join the battle to protect Kyiv.
Reporting by Reuters
By Michael Doyle
Vladimir Putin tells Turkey President that it will cease when Ukraine stops fighting
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call on Sunday that Russia would only halt its military operation if Ukraine stopped fighting and Moscow's demands were met, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Putin said the operation was going according to plan and to schedule, and that he hoped Ukrainian negotiators would take a more constructive approach at talks and take into account the reality on the ground, according to the statement.
Russia began the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, after saying it would conduct a military operation in two regions of Ukraine's east.
Since then Russia has shelled cities across the country, killing civilians.
Reuters/ABC
By Michael Doyle
Ukraine President says Russia has destroyed Vinnytsia Airport
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian forces have destroyed the Vinnytsia Regional Airport.
Vinnytsia is about 250km south-west of Kyiv.
Earlier the authorities said emergency services were working to put out fires at the airport caused by the rocket strikes.
Reuters/ABC
By Michael Doyle
Ukraine residents protest against Russian forces in Nova Kakhova
In Nova Kakhova, in Kherson region in Ukraine's south, large crowds have marched in the city's streets to protest against Russian occupation.
Footage posted to social media shows people waving Ukrainian flags and chanting.
Ukraine's Interfax news agency reported at least 2,000 people had joined the protest, which was continuing to grow.
Russian forces took control of the city of about 45,000 people, located on the Dnieper river, a week ago, seizing the city's council building and removing all Ukrainian flags from the building.
Reporting by Dan Harrison
By Michael Doyle
Pope Francis says Ukraine conflict is 'not a military operation but a war'
Pope Francis on Sunday rejected Russia's assertion that it is carrying out "a special military operation" in Ukraine, saying the country was being battered by war.
"In Ukraine rivers of blood and tears are flowing,' he said.
"This is not only a military operation but a war which is leading to death, destruction and misery."
Reporting by Reuters
By Michael Doyle
Residents leave Irpin as heavy shelling destroys buildings
By Michael Doyle
It is 1pm in Kyiv — here is what has happened today
- The number of Ukrainians who have fled their country is 1.5 million, the largest exodus since WWII according to the UNHRC
- A ceasefire in the city of Mariupol has been going for three hours, allowing civilians to leave. The ceasefire is expected to last another eight hours
- Ukraine delegates said talks with Russia could occur on Monday, although Russia has not been as concrete that there will be talks
- Mastercard and Visa have both announced their products will no longer be available in Russia
- The White House has condemned a new law in Russia that threatens jail terms of up to 15 years for spreading what the Kremlin calls "fake news"
