This defense is so persistent that it is fueling fears Russia’s Vladimir Putin will escalate war to new heights.
“Putin is back against the wall,” stated Joe Biden, U.S. President. He is traveling to Europe this week for meetings with allies. “And the more his back against the wall, he will use the most severe tactics possible.”
Biden reaffirmed his accusations that Putin might resort to chemical or biological weapons. However, John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesperson, said that the U.S. has not seen any evidence that this is possible.
As attacks continued in and around Kyiv, Mariupol, people fled the besieged and battered port city. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, accused Russian forces not only of blocking a humanitarian convoy to Mariupol to deliver desperately needed aid but also of seizing 15 bus drivers and rescue workers who were part of the aid mission.
Zelenskyy stated that the Russians had already agreed to the route in advance.
He said that he was trying to create stable humanitarian corridors for Mariupol residents but that almost all of his attempts were foiled by Russian occupiers by shelling and deliberate terror in his nightly video address.
One Mariupol survivor was shaking when she arrived in Lviv by train.
“There is no connection to the rest of the world. Julia Krytska said that she couldn’t have asked for help and was aided by volunteers. She made it with her husband, and son. “People don’t even have water there.”
Kyiv was shaken by explosions and bursts gunfire. Heavy artillery fire could also be heard from the northwest as Russia sought to encircle several areas of the capital and capture them.
According to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, on Tuesday morning, Ukrainian troops drove the Russian forces out of Makariv, a Kyiv suburb. The Ukrainian forces retook control of the key highway, and were able to block Russian troops from the northwest.
Ukrainian police posted a video showing them inspecting the damage to Makariv. The footage also included Makariv’s police station. An officer claims that it suffered a direct hit on its roof. Police drove past destroyed residences and along a road that was pounded by shelling. The town seemed almost deserted.
The Defense Ministry stated that Russian forces had taken part in the capture of other northwest suburbs, Bucha and Hostomel, but not Irpin. Some of these areas have been under attack since Russia invaded almost a month ago.
An official from the West, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss military assessments, stated that Ukrainian resistance had halted much of Russia’s advance but not caused Moscow to retreat.
Kirby said that he had seen signs that the Ukrainians were going on the offensive more now. Kirby spoke to reporters in Washington separately. He stated that this was especially true in the south of Ukraine, near Kherson, where they “have tried to regain territory.”
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said that Putin has not achieved anything in Ukraine. He hasn’t achieved yet.” However, he maintained that the military operation was “strictly in line with the plans and purposes that had been established before.”
Putin’s goals remain to “get rid the military potential Ukraine” and “ensure that Ukraine transforms from an anti-Russian centre to a neutral nation,” Peskov stated.
Many Western military experts warn against trusting in Ukraine’s future prospects because of Russia’s much stronger and larger military. In the past, Russia used strikes to crush resistance in Syria and Chechnya. This killed many civilians and sent millions fleeing.
However, Russian forces were unprepared and often failed to defeat the Ukrainian resistance. According to the U.S., Russia has lost slightly more than 10% of its overall combat capabilities at the beginning of the conflict, which includes troops and tanks as well as other materiel.
Officials from the West claim that Russia is facing severe shortages in food, fuel, and cold weather gear. This has left some soldiers with frostbite.
According to the United Nations, more than 10,000,000 people have been forced from their homes by the invasion. This is almost 25% of Ukraine’s population.
It is believed that thousands of civilians have been killed. Although estimates of Russian military casualties vary, even conservative Western figures are within the thousands.
Russian’s pro-Kremlin Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reported Monday that nearly 10,000 Russian soldiers were dead. The newspaper blamed hackers for the quick removal of the report. The Kremlin declined to comment. According to the Western official, this figure was “reasonable.”
Putin’s troops are being met with unexpectedly strong resistance. This has kept the bulk of Moscow’s ground forces far from the center Kyiv. They are also making slow progress in apparent efforts to stop fighters in eastern Ukraine. Russian air power and artillery are being increasingly concentrated on civilians and cities in Ukraine by the Russians.
Video continues to show that talks are continuing to end the fighting. Zelenskyy stated that negotiations with Russia are progressing “step by step”, but they are moving forward.
Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary General, stated that he sees progress in the negotiations.
He said that elements of diplomatic progress were emerging from my outreach with different actors on key issues. These gains are sufficient to end hostilities right now. He gave no details.
However, the Western official stated that there was no indication Moscow was willing to compromise.
Officials from Mariupol stated that 2,300 people were killed in the siege. According to city accounts, the death toll may be much higher with many bodies still uncollected. Over the last week, airstrikes destroyed a theater and an arts school where many civilians had been sheltering.
In his address Zelenskyy stated that more than 7,000 people had been evacuated from Mariupol Tuesday. He said that about 100,000 people remain in the city in “inhuman conditions”, under a blockade, without food or water, and without medicine.
Mariupol was home to 430,000 people before the war.
The Red Cross, like Zelenskyy said that a convoy of humanitarian aid trying to reach the city with urgently needed supplies was not able to enter.
Mariupol, perched on the Sea of Azov is a vital port for Ukraine. It lies along a stretch of territory that runs between Russia and Crimea. The siege has deprived the city of its sea access and allowed Russia to create a land corridor to Crimea.
It’s unclear how much of Moscow is actually Russian, as fleeing residents claim that fighting continues on every street.
A top U.S. defense official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to provide the Pentagon’s assessment. He said that Russian ships in Sea of Azov had now joined the bombardment of Mariupol. According to the official, there were seven Russian ships in the area, including a minesweeper as well as a few landing vessels.
According to the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, troops protecting the city had destroyed a Russian electronic warfare system and a patrol boat.
Mariupol was a devastation city according to those who made it.
Viktoria Totsen (39), fled to Poland after being bombed for 20 days. “The planes flew over us every five minutes and dropped bombs everywhere – on residential buildings, kindergartens and art schools, all throughout the past five days.”
The war has not only caused terrible human suffering, but it also shaken post-Cold War international security consensus and threatened the supply of key crops around the world. There are also concerns that it could lead to a nuclear disaster.
In a series of speeches to foreign legislatures Zelenskyy asked them to increase sanctions against Moscow. He noted that many wealthy Russians live in Italy.
He said from Kyiv, “Don’t be an resort for murderers.”