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Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed no let-up in his invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, even as the warring sides met for ceasefire talks and Kyiv demanded safe passage for besieged civilians.
After the fall of a first major Ukrainian city to Russian forces, Putin appeared in no mood to heed a global clamour for hostilities to end as the war entered its second week.
A massive, 40-mile convoy of Russian tanks and vehicles appeared to bog down on its push toward the capital of Kyiv on Tuesday while residential areas of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, were being pounded by Russian shells.
The Russian military advance drew to within 15 miles of Kyiv’s center amid signs that troops are running out of gas and food, a senior U.S. Defense Department official said Tuesday. Russia has committed about 80% of the combat force President Vladimir Putin deployed to invade Ukraine, the official said.
The Russian military have launched missile strikes on Vasylkiv, Bila Tserkva and Kalynivka, which are situated in Kyiv Region.
The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
As Russia’s assault on Ukraine reached into its second largest city, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was putting nuclear forces on high alert, the EU announced unprecedented new actions against Moscow.
Putin’s order to make his nuclear weapons more ready for launch – made Sunday in response to “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers and economic sanctions by the West – represent an unnecessary and dangerous move, according to the Pentagon.
Ukrainian forces fought Friday to hold back a Russian advance on the capital, Kyiv, amid warnings the city could fall within hours or days and as officials handed out weapons to reservists.
Russia’s military claimed Friday afternoon that its forces had staged a “successful landing operation” to capture Hostomel airfield on Kyiv’s outskirts, viewed as strategically important.