Huge Russian military convoyedges closer to Kyiv

A huge Russian military convoy was edging closer to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Tuesday, with the Kyiv mayor saying the enemy was on the outskirts of the city.

Meanwhile, there are now more than half a million refugees from Ukraine in the neighbouring countries, the United Nations (UN) said Monday, with people desperately heading west towards central Europe. 

The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said in a video message the Ukrainian military was preparing to defend Kyiv.

“Fortifications and checkpoints have been built at the entrances to the city. I ask everyone to keep calm. Do not go outside unnecessarily and stay in shelters in case of alarm,” he added.

A massive 40-mile-long Russian convoy – made up of armoured vehicles, tanks, towed artillery, and other logistical vehicles – reached the outskirts of Kyiv, according to satellite images from Maxar Technologies.

In an earlier video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said defending Kyiv was the government’s key priority.

“Kyiv is special. If we protect Kyiv, we will protect the state. This is the heart of our country, and it must keep beating,” he said. Echoing the president’s remarks, Klitschko said the Russian forces want to “take the heart of our country.”

“We will fight, and we will not give Kyiv up,” he asserted.

Nearly a week since Russian troops poured over the border, they have failed to capture a single major Ukrainian city after running into fierce resistance.

The civilian deaths of the last 48 hours were an ominous sign that frustrated Russian commanders could be resorting to more devastating tactics.

Russia still has more forces to throw into the fight even though President Vladimir Putin faces worldwide condemnation and international sanctions for his actions.

Russia has repeatedly claimed it is not hitting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. But social media videos, photos and satellite images analysed and geolocated by CNN confirm that on several occasions densely populated areas have been hit by Russian forces.

In the past two days, accelerated strikes on the second-largest city of Kharkiv that have struck civilians suggest Russia is shifting toward a far less-restrained bombing campaign, in contrast with its earlier attacks that were more focused on military targets.

The UN says at least 102 civilians have been killed across the country and 304 injured, though those figures are likely to underestimate the true toll.

Russia’s TASS news agency reported new peace talks would be held on Wednesday.

Talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials held on Monday at the Belarus border failed to reach a breakthrough. Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kyiv was ready to talk to Moscow but would not just follow Russian ultimatums.

Zelenskiy to EU: Prove that you are with us

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the European Union (EU) on Tuesday to “prove that you are with us” in Ukraine’s war with Russia, a day after Kyiv officially asked to join the bloc.

EU lawmakers, many wearing #standwithUkraine T-shirts bearing the Ukrainian flag, others with blue-and-yellow scarves or ribbons, gave Zelenskiy a standing ovation as he addressed the European Parliament via video link.

“We are fighting to be equal members of Europe,” Zelenskiy said in Ukrainian in a speech translated into English by an interpreter who spoke through tears, reports Reuters.

“Do prove that you are with us. 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. “The EU will be much stronger with us.”

Zelenskiy has remained in Kyiv to rally his people against the invasion. As he spoke on Tuesday, a Russian armoured column was bearing down on Ukraine’s capital.

The presidents of eight central and eastern European nations on Monday published an open letter calling for Ukraine to be granted immediate EU candidate status and for the start of formal membership talks.

The UN agencies launched an emergency appeal to respond to the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling for $1.7 billion to help people who had fled the country and those still trapped inside.

“The crisis has turned very ugly very fast,” Martin Griffiths, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, told journalists at a press conference in Geneva. He called for compassion to match the scale of the crisis.

Filippo Grandi, the UN’s high commissioner for refugees, said at the same briefing that 150,000 more people had fled Ukraine in the last 24 hours.

The rise means the total number of people who have sought safety in other countries since Moscow launched its assault now stands at nearly 6,80,000.