KYIV, 26 Feb (REUTERS) -- Ukraine's health minister said on Saturday that 198 civilians, including three children, have been killed so far by Russian forces attacking the pro-Western country.

"Unfortunately, according to operative data, at the hands of the invaders we have 198 dead, including three children, 1,115 wounded, including 33 children," Health Minister Viktor Lyashko wrote on Facebook.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy, speaking in a video message from outside his Kyiv office, urged the nation to defend itself. "We will not put down weapons, we will defend our state," he said.

Even as the fighting grew more intense, the Russian and Ukrainian governments signalled an openness to negotiations, offering the first glimmer of hope for diplomacy since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.