Ukraine: Russia hits Mariupol hard; inching towards Kyiv

Mariupol/ Ukraine: Russian troops have hit hard the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, with heavy shelling while the residents rushed for shelters. Fighting has been reported in the Kyiv outskirts, and severe conflict has hampered the supply of essentials into Mariupol, Associated Press (AP) reported.

The city's mayor has informed that more than 1,500 people died here alone, while the shelling has interrupted efforts to bury the dead. Talks about reaching a ceasefire have failed on Saturday, while Russia warned that it could attack military shipments to Ukraine after the United States informed plans to provide Kyiv with another 200 million US dollars for weapons.

Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of starting a "new stage of terror" after Moscow allegedly detained a mayor in a city west of Mariupol. He said that Russian forces are bombing Mariupol and killing children. He encouraged his people to keep up their resistance. Zelensky further informed that 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers died since the conflict began and deplored NATO's refusal in declaring a no-fly-zone over Ukraine.

On Saturday, Russian forces had robbed a humanitarian aid to Mariupol and blocked another. A large group of hundreds of civilians fleeing Peremoha, 20 km north of Kyiv, were forced to turn back after strong Russian shelling. Seven people, including a child, has died, the Ukraine administration informed. Ukraine accused Russia of breaching ceasefire over humanitarian corridors provided by Russia themselves. Only nine out of 14 agreed corridors opened on Saturday, Ukraine said. Zelenskyy said that Russia would have to induct carpet bombs and kill all the residents to take Kyiv.

AP had witnessed a heavy tank fire into an apartment building and a sniper fire at hospital workers on Friday at Mariupol. Bodies were spotted lying out in a park and adjacent streets in central Kyiv, AP reported.

Russian forces have hit at least two dozen hospitals and medical facilities, according to the World Health Organization.

World Health Organisation has informed that at least two dozen hospitals and medical facilities were hit by Russia in Ukraine and the United Nations estimated that at least 2.5 million have fled the war-hit nation.