LIVE: Blasts reported near Kyiv; 22 dead in Russian strike on train station in Ukraine

According to reports, blasts were heard near Kyiv in Vyshgorod district on Thursday morning.

Kyiv military official said several sounds of explosions were heard in Vyshgorod with emergency services sent to the area.

Watch | Gravitas: How the war in Ukraine could pan out

Ukraine reveals plan to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his 'crime of aggression'

Approximately 600 suspects in the aggression have been named by Ukrainian authorities so far, including senior military officers, politicians, and commentators.

The international treaty establishing the tribunal has been drafted and is ready for signing by nations.

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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky informed a 11-year-old boy died in the attack as the rocket destroyed his home.

On Wednesday (August 24), as his country celebrated the anniversary of its independence from Moscow-dominated Soviet control, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a Russian rocket attack on a Ukrainian railway station resulted in at least 22 deaths and dozens of injuries. 

On Tuesday, Zelensky issued a warning against the possibility of "repugnant Russian provocations" on July 4th, which also happened to be six months after Russian soldiers invaded Ukraine and set off the worst conflict to hit Europe since World War Two.

A Russian strike on a Ukrainian railway station killed 15 people and wounded 50 others, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday as his country marked six months of war with Moscow.

"I have just received information about a Russian missile strike on a railway station in the (central) Dnipropetrovsk region... At least 15 people were killed and around 50 injured," Zelensky said in a speech to the UN Security Council.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called the six-month anniversary of the start of Russia's war in Ukraine a "sad and tragic milestone." The UN chief described the six months of conflict as "devastating," adding that he remained "gravely concerned" about military activity around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, Europe's largest atomic power plant.

Six months ago to this day - Russia made a gruesome choice - that of carrying out a war in your country, towards your people, spreading death and destruction. It had thought of carrying out a clear and crushing war, it did not take into account neither your unity nor your courage. This August 24th must be a day of hope, a day unity of your people, a day of unity and hope between Ukraine and the nations who support it. Hold on, and you can count on our support for all, today as well as in the future: Macron

Russia has launched missiles at a railroad station in Ukraine's central Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a Ukraine-focused meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday. "This is our life every day. This is how Russia got prepared for this U.N. session," Zelenskyy said over video link. There were deaths and injuries in the missile strikes, Zelensky said, warning that the death toll could rise.

There have been 473 verified attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since Russia invaded six months ago, which have killed nearly 100 people, the WHO said Wednesday. The World Health Organization's Europe chief Hans Kluge branded the attacks "unconscionable". Dozens of attacks struck transport, including ambulances, while warehouses, supplies, personnel and patients were also damaged.

UK's Boris Johnson warned against 'flimsy' plan for talks with Russia. 

Johnson said, "There is no negotiation that is on offer. Vladimir Putin is not even offering a negotiation and even if he were, it's hard to see how you could how the people of Ukraine could negotiate on the current circumstances. And secondly, people can see very clearly that conceding to aggression and tyranny in Ukraine would be a disaster for the world. And that's why it's been it's been very, very remarkable that in spite of the the difficulties, in spite of the adverse economic circumstances, we are determined to get through it."

He added, "And we will come through it stronger, by the way, because we will no longer be vulnerable to the blackmail of Putin's hydrocarbons. The Europe would have weaned itself off dependence on Putin's oil and gas, and that will be a massive geopolitical change, a disaster for Russia, by the way. But that's the end result." 

Zelensky told the United Nations Security Council Wednesday that Russia "should unconditionally stop nuclear blackmail" and "completely withdraw" from an atomic plant in Ukraine. 

Zelensky made the remarks about the Zaporizhzhia facility during an address via video link to a special meeting of the council in New York to mark six months since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called the six-month anniversary of the start of Russia's war in Ukraine a "sad and tragic milestone."

Guterres made the comments during a special meeting of the UN Security Council to mark the anniversary, during which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was due to speak by video-link.

Zelenskiy, and first lady, Olena Zelenska, attended a prayer for Ukraine to mark the country's 31 years of independence from the Moscow-controlled Soviet Union. 

The joint prayer took place at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and was attended by religious leaders including Metropolitan Epifaniy Of Kyiv And Ukraine, Sergey Petrovich Dumenko, and Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk. 

Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, has banned public celebrations commemorating Ukraine's independence from Soviet rule. 

Russia's war effort in Ukraine has made little progress in recent months, after its troops were pushed back from Kyiv in the early weeks of the war. 

Image: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife Olena. Credit: Reuters. 

A former mayor of the fourth-largest city in Russia was detained on Wednesday on suspicion of undermining the nation's armed forces as part of a campaign against those who oppose Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine.

Yevgeny Roizman, 59, who presided over Yekaterinburg from 2013 to 2018, was detained by police after searches of his residence and place of business.

After Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, a new law was enacted, according to Roizman, under which he was charged. If found guilty, he could spend up to five years in prison. Roizman was fined by Russian courts earlier this year for comparable offences.

Roizman, a scathing critic of the Kremlin, is one of the opposition leaders in Russia who is most well-known and charismatic. He had widespread support in Yekaterniburg during his time as mayor.

Zelenskyy made a rousing address to his nation on Wednesday to commemorate Ukraine's Independence Day and mark six months since the start of the Russian invasion.

Speaking from Kyiv's Independence Square in front of destroyed Russian tanks and mobile artillery, Zelenskyy said: "On February 24, we were told you have no chance. On August 24, we say: Happy Independence Day, Ukraine. During these six months, we changed history, changed the world and changed ourselves."

"What is the end of the war for us? We used to say: peace. Now we say: victory," he said and vowed to liberate occupied regions of Donbas and Crimea.

"We will put our hands up only once - when we will celebrate our victory. The whole of Ukraine. Because we do not trade our lands and our people."

A United States official said that the country is well on course to ship almost the same quantity of grain exports as it used to before the invasion after reaching an agreement with Russia.  "Thanks to intensive international cooperation, Ukraine is on track to export as much as four million metric tons of agricultural products in August," a senior US State Department official told AFP. 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with ZDF on Tuesday that it was necessary to continue providing assistance to Ukraine but there can be a "price to pay".

"What we are seeing is unprecedented support from NATO’s European allies, Germany, Canada, the United States and many other countries around the world. I took part in [Ukrainian] President [Vladimir] Zelensky's Crimea Platform [forum] today - and the message sent there by all the leaders present was clear: we stand behind Ukraine and we will support it as long as it is necessary. This is the message from the NATO allies," Stoltenberg told the German TV channel.

Ukraine can soon receive the Norwegian micro-drone Black Hornet as Norway and United Kingdom have decided to acquire them. The latest package is reportedly going to include Black Hornet units, spare parts, transportation and training and will be financed by the British-led fund to which Norway has contributed NOK 400 million, according to a statement issued by the Norwegian ministry of defence on Wednesday.

Finland and Lithuania have wished Ukraine on their independence Day. “My most sincere congratulations to President Zelenskiy and to the people of Ukraine on your Independence Day,” Finnish president Sauli Niinistö said. “Finland stands with Ukraine, and we will continue our unwavering support for as long as needed.”

Lithuainian President Gitanas Nausėda followed suit and said - “Wishing strength to Zelenskiy and Ukraine who fights for freedom with incredible courage, defiance and dignity. Lithuania is always with you.”

The Google Doodle today celebrates Ukraine’s independence day with an illustration by Kharkiv-based artist Olga Shtonda. The design refers to 1991 - the year when Ukrainian politicians signed the act of declaration of independence.

United Nations have expressed their concern about plans by Russian-backed authorities to hold trials for captured Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol. The region is completely under Russian control and the UN believes that the trials will not be fair to the Prisoners of War.

The United States has been a massive ally for Ukraine in the ongoing conflict with Russia and the White House said on Tuesday that they will provide $3 billion in fresh military aid to Kyiv to train and equip the Ukrainian fighters for years to come.

Six months into Russia war, US to give $3 billion in fresh military aid to Ukraine

Ukraine completes 31 years since their independence from Soviet rule on August 24. There were a number of celebrations planned all around the country but reports of Russian attacks have put the citizens on alert once again.