KYIV: Russia bombed a TV tower in Ukraine’s capital on Tuesday and rained rockets on the city of Kharkiv as Moscow intensified its bombardment of Ukrainian urban areas after its six-day invasion stalled.
A US official said a miles-long armoured column bearing down on the capital Kyiv had not made any advances in the past 24 hours, frozen in place by logistics problems, short on fuel and food, and perhaps pausing to reassess tactics.
Russia’s defence ministry urged Kyiv residents to flee and said it would strike unspecified areas used by Ukraine’s security services and communications. Speaking in a heavily guarded government compound in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia must “first stop bombing people” before peace talks could make any headway.
In a joint interview, Zelenskiy also urged NATO members to impose a no-fly zone to stop Russia’s airforce, something the military alliance has ruled out. As Zelenskiy spoke, news came that a Russian missile had struck a TV tower near the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial site in Kyiv, killing at least five people.
Zelenskiy spoke by phone with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, said the artillery barrages on the eastern city of Kharkiv amounted to “state terrorism”. Biden and Zelenskiy discussed how Russia had intensified attacks on sites used by civilians, the White House said.
Nearly a week since Russian troops poured over the border, they have not captured a single major Ukrainian city after running into far fiercer resistance than they expected. Many Western military analysts fear that Russia will now fall back on tactics such as crushing bombardment of built-up areas before trying to enter them.
READ MORE: Ukraine calls for no-fly zone to stop Russian bombardment
Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the “special military operation” would continue until it had achieved its goals, defined by Putin as disarming Ukraine and capturing the “neo-Nazis” he says are running the country.
Rocket strikes on Tuesday in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-biggest city, killed at least 10 people and wounded 35, Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said. Human rights groups and Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States have accused Russia of using cluster bombs and vacuum bombs, weapons condemned by many organizations. Moscow denies targeting civilians.
Munitions experts who reviewed footage on social media of attacks on Monday said Kharkiv appeared to have been targeted by cluster bombs. High-rise buildings, schools, and kindergartens were among the buildings destroyed in those strikes.
In the south, Russia claimed to have completely encircled Ukraine’s Azov Sea coast. If confirmed, that would mean Russian forces invading from Crimea had joined up with separatists in the east and had cut off Ukraine’s main eastern port, Mariupol.
Zelenskiy said Kyiv remained the main target. Some Kyiv residents have been sheltering in underground metro stations at night, there are long lines for fuel, and some products are running out in shops.
In an emotional address to the European Parliament by video link on Tuesday, a day after he signed an official request to join the European Union, Zelenskiy urged the bloc to prove that it sided with Ukraine. “Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you are indeed Europeans and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness,” he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a Geneva disarmament meeting via video link that Ukraine had been seeking nuclear weapons. He did not provide evidence other than saying “Ukraine still has Soviet nuclear technologies and the means of delivery of such weapons.” read more
More than 100 diplomats walked out of the hall in protest as his speech began, underlining Russia’s international isolation. Ukraine’s general staff said Russian losses included 5,710 personnel, 29 destroyed and damaged aircraft and 198 tanks.
