Ukraine's Zelenskyy, advisers vow to defend country: 'We're all here’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video to social media Friday showing him standing alongside other government officials who vowed to defend the country from Russian aggression. 

"Good evening, everyone," he said on a video posted to the Armed Forces of Ukraine Facebook page. " (The) Leader of the faction (party) is here, head of the president’s administration is here, Prime Minister (Denys) Shmyhal is here, (adviser to the head of the President’s Office Mykhailo) Podoliak is here. The president is here."

GUNFIRE, EXPLOSIONS ERUPT INSIDE UKRAINIAN CAPITAL AS RUSSIAN FORCES ADVANCE ON KYIV: LIVE UPDATES

"We're all here. Our military is here. Citizens in society are here. We're all here defending our independence, our country, and it will stay this way," Zelenskyy added. "Glory to our defenders! Glory to our women defenders! Glory to Ukraine!"

Zelenskyy has refused to be evacuated from the country as his military continues to engage with Russian forces. Ukraine's former ambassador to Austria praised the president's leadership in a Tweet on Friday. 

"President of Ukraine refused America’s offer to be evacuated," Olexander Scherba wrote. "In a situation where (an) American president would have been evacuated a long time ago. Ukrainians are tough cookies - with a badass president."

The actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked invasion have been widely condemned, prompting President Biden to impose sanctions in an effort to force him to change his behavior. 

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As of Saturday morning, large explosions were happening around the capital city of Kyiv and gunfire erupted in the streets.