Ukrainian president says asks eastern European NATO members for defence assistance

Ukraine’s president has said his country has been left on its own to fight Russia after the Kremlin launched a large-scale invasion that killed more than 130 Ukrainians in the first day.

In a video address to the nation just after midnight, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said: "We have been left alone to defend our state. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of Nato membership? Everyone is afraid."

Zelenskiy said that 137 Ukrainians, both military personnel and civilians, had been killed since the start of the attack early Thursday. Another 316 had been wounded, he said.

The president added that he and his family remained in Ukraine, despite Russia identifying him as “target number one”.

"They want to destroy Ukraine politically by taking down the head of state. I am staying in the government quarter together with others. The enemy has designated me as the target number one, and my family as the target number two.”