The US has promised to send more weapons to Ukraine to help protect the country against invading Russians.

Confirmation the White House will commit the equivalent of AU$1.1 billion in additional support comes after the Ukrainian president appeared in the Capitol via video link to issue a heartfelt plea for help.

Volodymr Zelensky showed lawmakers emotional footage of the devastation on the ground in his country.

Appealing to the Americans to understand the tragedy of his citizens’ plight, he compared the war with September 11 attacks and Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbour.

“Our country is experiencing the same thing every day, every night, for three weeks now,” Mr Zelensky said.

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More civilians have been killed overnight – and there are allegations innocent people were murdered while lining up to get food for their families.

Ukrainian officials said 10 people had died after that shooting in the northern city of Chernihiv.

“Servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces fired at people standing in line for bread near a grocery store,” a statement Ukraine’s prosecutor general read.

Russia denied the claims.

Ukraine has also accused Russia of bombing a Mariupol theatre where families were sheltering from the violence.

In a separate attack near the same city, according to Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces, rockets hit a convoy of women and children who were evacuating to another region.

• Read more on the impact on Ukrainians: Mike Bruce reports from a refugee shelter 

Here’s what you need to know on Thursday morning.

Weapons for Ukraine

The White House has confirmed it will commit US$1billion in additional support for Ukraine to  make “sure Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin”.