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Photos: Ukraine's civilian forces grow as more enlist in the fight against Russia

Yevghen Zbormyrsky, 49, runs in front of his burning home after it was shelled in the city of Irpin,  Ukraine, outside the country's capital of Kyiv, on Friday, March 4.
Aris Messinis
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AFP via Getty Images
Yevghen Zbormyrsky, 49, runs in front of his burning home after it was shelled in the city of Irpin, Ukraine, outside the country's capital of Kyiv, on Friday, March 4.

Editor's note: Graphic content

Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, Feb. 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday, with explosions heard soon after across the country.
Aris Messinis / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, Feb. 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday, with explosions heard soon after across the country.

Russian military forces have invaded Ukraine.

The wide-scale invasion of Ukraine has dramatically changed the mood in Kyiv, the capital, as a nation woke up Thursday with the new reality that it is at war. Ukraine's military says Russia is taking casualties in fierce fighting, but Russia's military is telling a different story.

"Many residents of Kyiv are trying to evacuate towards the West," NPR's Tim Mak said on Morning Edition from Ukraine. "There are long lines that we've observed all day at ATMs, gas stations and supermarkets. In fact, right now, as I speak to you, we're in line to get gas. Traffic is at a standstill leaving town, making it really difficult for people."

A man sits outside his destroyed building after bombings on the eastern Ukraine town of Chuguiv on February 24, 2022, as Russian armed forces are trying to invade Ukraine from several directions, using rocket systems and helicopters to attack Ukrainian position in the south, the border guard service said.
Aris Messinis / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
A man sits outside his destroyed building after bombings on the eastern Ukrainian town of Chuhuiv on Feb. 24, as Russian armed forces are trying to invade Ukraine from several directions, using rocket systems and helicopters to attack Ukrainian positions in the south, the border guard service said.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that it has begun the procedure to cut diplomatic ties with Russia at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and "in accordance with the norms established by international law."

U.S. officials have said for weeks that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was imminent, a warning that Russia, in turn, dismissed as scaremongering. President Biden warned of a "catastrophic loss of life and human suffering." He is planning to make an address after meeting with G-7 leaders.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Emergency unit staff treat an injured man after bombings on the eastern Ukraine town of Chuguiv on February 24, 2022.
Aris Messinis / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Emergency unit staff treat an injured man after bombings on the eastern Ukraine town of Chuhuiv on Feb. 24.
The body of a rocket stuck in a flat after recent shelling on the northern outskirts of Kharkiv on February 24, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, forcing residents to flee for their lives and leaving at least 40 Ukrainian soldiers and 10 civilians dead.
Sergey Bobok / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
The body of a rocket is stuck in a flat after shelling on the northern outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Feb. 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, forcing residents to flee for their lives and leaving at least 40 Ukrainian soldiers and 10 civilians dead.
A woman walks past debris in the aftermath of Russian shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Feb. 24.
Evgeniy Maloletka / AP
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AP
A woman walks past debris in the aftermath of Russian shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Feb. 24.
Local residents wait to buy water at a store during a water outage in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
Emilio Morenatti / AP
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AP
Residents wait to buy water at a store during a water outage in Kyiv on Feb. 24.
A child sleeps on an armchair as other people stand around in a shelter during Russian shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Feb. 24.
Evgeniy Maloletka / AP
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AP
A child sleeps on an armchair as other people stand around in a shelter during Russian shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on Feb. 24.
People stand around a damaged structure caused by a rocket on February 24, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Chris McGrath / Getty Images
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Getty Images
A person walks by a structure that was damaged by a rocket on Feb. 24 in Kyiv.
Damaged radar equipment and a damaged car are seen at a Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol on Feb. 24.
Sergei Grits / AP
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AP
Damaged radar equipment and a damaged car are seen at a Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol on Feb. 24.
Ukrainian servicemen get ready to repel an attack in Ukraine's Luhansk region on Feb. 24.
Anatolii Stepanov / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Ukrainian servicemen get ready to repel an attack in Ukraine's Luhansk region on Feb. 24.
People queue to a petrol station in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on February 24, 2022.
Yuriy Dyachyshyn / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
People queue at a petrol station in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Feb. 24.
A couple speaks with each other at a metro station in Kyiv early on February 24, 2022.
Daniel Leal / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
A couple speaks with each other at a metro station in Kyiv early on Feb. 24.
A woman holds her baby as she gets on a bus leaving Kyiv on Feb. 24.
Emilio Morenatti / AP
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AP
A woman holds her baby as she gets on a bus leaving Kyiv on Feb. 24.

Marco Storel