Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the European Union leaders on a conference call that “this might be the last time you see me alive,” while urging the body to take urgent steps against Russia amidst its invasion. 

Mr Zelenskyy had said in an address that Russian saboteurs had entered Kyiv and that his intelligence found “the enemy has identified me as the number one target.”

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi confirmed to the Italian parliament on Friday morning that Mr Zelensky had gone into hiding in Kyiv.

“We were supposed to talk on the phone this morning, but he was no longer available,” Mr Draghi says. 

Huffington Post reported on Friday that a group of Russian spies and saboteurs were seen in a district of Kyiv.

Earlier, the military said that Russian forces had seized two Ukrainian military vehicles and some uniforms and were heading toward the city to try to infiltrate under the guise of being locals.

Reports say Mr Zelensky is currently hiding in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv as Russia continues its attack on the country on President Vladimir Putin’s orders.

The invasion began on Thursday with a series of missile strikes on cities and military bases, and then quickly followed with a ground assault that saw Russian forces breach Ukraine’s territories from several areas in the east; from the southern region of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014; and from Belarus to the north.

Hours after the invasion began, Russian forces seized control of the now-decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant and its surrounding exclusion zone as well as the Antonov International airport near Kyiv.