<span style="color: #222222;">Russian and Ukrainian forces have clashed on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. According to media reports, frequent artillery blasts could be heard in Kyiv, coming from an unspecified location some distance from the city centre.<br />''<br />''This comes as the Ukrainian military said, fighting was taking place near a military unit to the west of the city center.The officials in Kyiv have urged residents to protect their own safety.<br />''<br />''Reports are also coming in that missiles are being launched at Ukraine from the Black Sea.Air strikes are also being reported across a number of areas, in an apparent escalation of violence.<br />''<br />''The Ukrainian military in a Facebook post has said that Russian troops attacked an army base in Kyiv. Meanwhile the assault was repelled.<br />''<br />''Separately, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency said, Russian soldiers were trying to capture one of the city's electricity generating stations.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, US media outlets reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky turned down an offer by Washington to help evacuate him from Ukraine.<br />''<br />''US newspaper Washington Post had also quoted US and Ukrainian officials who said that the US government was prepared to help Mr. Zelensky.On other hand, Japan is considering imposing economic sanctions on Belarus, in line with the United States.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, it was not immediately clear which individuals or entities would be targeted by such sanctions. According to media reports, the officials said, Tokyo will coordinate with other members of the G7 industrial powers.</span><br />