What happened on 27 February 2022, day four?

What did the fourth day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine look like? On 27 February 2022, the fighting continued while diplomacy, sanctions and military aid moved quickly in parallel.

Fighting and control of cities

The Ukrainian Army announced that it remained in control of Kyiv. Regional governor Oleh Synyehubov said Ukraine also remained in control of Kharkiv. Ukraine's military said it had destroyed a convoy of 56 tanks near the capital and killed Chechen General Magomed Tushayev. Ukraine also said it had used Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drones against Russian forces.

Nuclear alert and a path to talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's nuclear forces placed on high alert, in response to what he considered "aggressive statements" by NATO members.

On the diplomatic track, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said a Russian delegation had arrived in Gomel, Belarus, to hold talks as part of an effort to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected Belarus as a venue, since the country was not a neutral party in the conflict. Ukraine and Russia eventually agreed to hold negotiations on 28 February near the Pripyat river on the Belarus–Ukraine border. The Ukrainian delegation was travelling to the location via Poland for safety reasons.

Aid, volunteers and the Black Sea

The European Union said it would provide fighter aircraft and finance €500 million in procurement and delivery of weapons to Ukraine, the first time the EU had done so. It also pledged €50 million in medical supplies.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen allowed volunteers to join Ukrainian soldiers to fight against Russia.

Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, triggered the wartime clause of the Montreux Convention. The step limited the movements of military vessels whose bases are not on the Black Sea coast.

Economic and sporting pressure

Norway's sovereign fund said it would divest its Russian holdings. The Russian ruble showed extreme buy–sell spreads. Bank currency exchanges offered 70–90 rubles per US dollar and 80–100 rubles per euro, while sell quotes varied from 100 rubles to more than 150 rubles per dollar. Panic selling was suspected as a reason for the swings.

The pressure reached sport as well: the International Judo Federation suspended Putin's titles as honorary president and ambassador of the federation, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The human cost

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that 368,000 refugees had fled Ukraine since the invasion began.

Taken together, the day's reports showed a war being fought on the ground while governments sought leverage through arms, markets, shipping rules and negotiations.