There were more explosions in the capital Kyiv and other key cities in Ukraine as Russian troops met with additional resistance from Ukrainian forces on Thursday.
The last: The UK Ministry of Defense announced in intelligence update that the 40-kilometer Russian convoy outside Kyiv has made “little noticeable progress” and is more than 29 miles from the city center.
- “Despite the heavy Russian shelling, the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol remain in Ukrainian hands,” the Defense Ministry said. “Some Russian forces have entered the city of Kherson, but the military situation remains unclear.
Context: The Russian military says it has taken control of the southern port city of Kherson, which has a population of 300,000 and will be the first major city in Ukraine to fall. The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the AP that fighting is “still going on” around Kherson.
- The mayor of Kherson said in a Facebook post that he had reached an agreement with Russian civil movement forces.
in the meantime, Mariupol was surrounded by Russian troops, but Ukrainian forces said Thursday morning that they still control the southeastern port city of about 500,000 people.
- Kharkiv, a Russian-speaking city of 1.4 million people, has come under heavy attack. Russian airborne troops landed in the city on Tuesday night after days of heavy bombing.
Between the lines: A senior Pentagon official said the takeover of Mariupol and Kharkiv would allow Russia to cut off eastern Ukraine and push Ukrainian forces away from Kyiv.
The big picture: Russia’s plan to sprint to Kyiv and impose a quick capitulation failed under strong Ukrainian resistance. But Russian forces are capturing cities and towns, especially in the south, stepping up bombardments of cities like Kharkiv to the east and continuing to direct forces toward the capital.
Game status: Russia has invested 82% of its military strength on the border with Ukraine, but remains “confused” by “logistics and maintenance problems” such as fuel shortages, a senior U.S. defense official said.
- Russia has become “much more aggressive” in using missiles and artillery aimed at cities, including civilian infrastructure around Kyiv, the official said.
- Both Kyiv and Kharkiv remain under “constant attack”, but there has been no “noticeable movement” of Russian forces to successfully take control of either.
What are they saying: In a provocative address seven days after the start of the Zelenski invasion said the war united the Ukrainians like nothing before.
Zelenski gives an address. Photo: Distribution of the Presidency of Ukraine through Getty Images
By numbers: The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said on Wednesday that more than 2,000 civilians had been killed in the February 24 invasion of Russia. Attacks on civilian areas have increased in the last 48 hours, but the number of victims is impossible to verify.
- In its first confession of significant casualties, the Russian Defense Ministry said 498 Russian soldiers had been killed and 1,597 wounded. Ukraine claims that its forces have killed more than 5,300 Russian soldiers. No figures have been independently verified.
- A senior US defense official declined to comment on the accuracy of the Russian data, but said: “My advice to anyone would be to be extremely skeptical about any information that the Russian Ministry of Defense publishes there. I would be extremely skeptical. “
What next: A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the Russian delegation was prepared for a second round of peace talks on the Ukraine-Belarus border. Neither side showed much optimism after Monday’s first round.
Increase: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Wednesday that there were battles on the outskirts of the capital and told residents to stay indoors but be ready to defend their city. “The enemy is gathering strength closer and closer,” he said. The inhabitants were preparing for a siege.
- Residents of Ukrainian cities placed their bodies in front of tanks and shouted at Russian troops to return home. The town of Enerhodar, home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has residents barricade on the streets.
- U.S. and Ukrainian officials said Russian troops never expected to be deployed in Ukraine and many were demoralized, in some cases even abandoning equipment without a fight.
Shelters in the Kiev metro. Photo: Aris Messinis / STF / AFP via Getty Images
At least 1 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries, the UN said on Wednesday.
- The EU plans to allow Ukrainian refugees to live and work in the bloc for up to three years.
- But there were heartbreaking scenes in cities like Kyiv when fleeing families split up or struggled to squeeze into crowded trains.
Ukrainian refugees apply for a residence permit upon arrival in Prague. Photo: Michal Chizek / AFP via Getty Images
In Russia, citizens are watching their savings run out as the ruble collapses and loses access to everything from new iPhones to Disney movies to flights to Europe. Russia’s stock market remains closed, but investors are desperate to withdraw their money.
- Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned opposition leader, summoned on Wednesday for protests on the main square of every Russian city at 14:00 on weekends and 19:00 on weekdays.
- Russian authorities have promised to arrest anyone who protests, but there are still significant rallies in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
What else is happening: 141 countries voted in favor of the UN General Assembly resolution, which “regrets” Russia’s aggression, while five voted against and 34 abstained.
- Ukrainian authorities say they have thwarted a plot to assassinate Zelensky by elite Chechen special forces, thanks in part to advice from members of Russia’s Federal Security Service who do not support the war. This statement cannot be verified.
- Zelensky insists on accelerated accession to the European Union, which he said would signal that Europe accepts Ukraine as an equal member. This would also be an economic benefit after the war.
- He also begs NATO for a no-fly zone, but that would force NATO to eventually withdraw Russian troops and risk a far wider conflict between nuclear forces.
Russian convoy north of Kyiv. Satellite image Photo: © 2022 Maxar Technologies
russian officials they are already making vague threats of a wider war.
- Former President Dmitry Medvedev tweets a warning that “in human history, economic wars have often become real”, while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that World War III would turn into a nuclear war.
- Putin has already put Russia’s nuclear deterrent on alert, citing sanctions and “aggressive language” from the West.
- US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has canceled a ballistic missile test scheduled for this week “to show that we are a responsible nuclear power” in response to Putin’s actions.
- The United States and European allies are struggling to deliver weapons through Poland to the front while they still can. Moscow has said it will hold countries responsible for supplying weapons used for Russian troops.
What to watch: With Russia’s approach to Ukraine’s largest cities and the application of new aggressive tactics, such as the bombing of civilian areas, the danger to civilians is growing.
- The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has launched an investigation into allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed in Ukraine since 2013.
- As peace talks are currently unlikely to succeed, analysts and officials are considering what exit ramps may still be available.
Go deeper: The latest in the Russia-Ukraine crisis
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with new details everywhere.