Shelling continues, curfew announced

Four people were killed when a 16-storey building in Sviatoshynskyi, a residential area of western Kyiv, was shelled by Russian forces early Tuesday morning while Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced a 35-hour curfew starting at 8pm (1800 GMT).

Ukraine’s state emergency services had initially reported two people died in the strike. A separate hit on another building in the same district caused minor damage, the emergency services said.

At least four buildings in residential areas across the Ukrainian capital — to the east, north and west of the city centre — were hit by Russian attacks within the space of an hour Tuesday morning.

Two residents of the 16-storey building that was hit told CNN they were woken up by a strong blow that caused their bed to shake. The couple — Elena and her husband Vadim — tried to escape, but realised they could not use the stairs because of thick smoke. 

The couple said they ended up being evacuated through the fire escape by emergency services. Their dog was rescued four hours later, they told CNN, when Vadim was able to return to the apartment with firefighters. 

“They broke my house, but not my will,” Vadim told CNN.

Another resident, Galina Borisovna, 70, who lives on the 10th floor, told CNN she had decided to spend the whole night in the shelter — a decision that likely saved her life. 

“When I left [the shelter], I realised I had lost everything. My one-room apartment has burned down completely,” she told CNN.

‘Difficult, dangerous moment’

With the shelling, Russian forces tightened their grip on the Ukrainian capital. Two large blasts echoed across the centre of the city just before dawn.

Late on Monday, tracer bullets flashed across the night sky as Ukrainian forces apparently targeted an enemy drone.

“Today is a difficult and dangerous moment,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

“The capital is the heart of Ukraine, and it will be defended. Kyiv, which is currently the symbol and forward operating base of Europe’s freedom and security, will not be given up by us.”

Reuters witnesses saw a high-rise apartment block in flames after being struck by artillery. Firefighters tried to douse the blaze and rescue workers helped evacuate residents trapped inside using mobile ladders. A body lay on the ground in a bag.

Kyiv has been spared the worst of the fighting since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, but the Russian military is slowly closing in on the city and the shelling has intensified.

“What is happening right now in Kharkiv, Mariupol, and other cities – it was understandable that sooner or later it would happen in Kyiv,” said local resident Igor Krupa. Sitting on the ground outside the badly damaged building, he described how he had cocooned himself with furniture and metal weights before going to sleep.

“This actually saved me because all the windows went out and all the debris went into the apartment, and I remained unwounded. Just a
couple of scratches.”

In another part of the city, residents cleared debris from their homes after shelling blew out windows, ruined balconies and left wreckage strewn across the ground.

‘100 children killed’

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky told leaders of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force almost 100 children have been killed in Russian attacks on his country since the start of the invasion almost three weeks ago.

Zelensky made the comment as he called into question foreign companies’ commitment to a long-term boycott of Russia. 

“Some companies say they have left, but they are just waiting for the moment they can return to the Russian market. They don’t care about 97 children; up to now, 97 children have been killed here,” Zelensky told the leaders by video link.

‘Talks with Russia ongoing’

Meanwhile, talks with Russia are ongoing, Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podoliak said in a brief message on Twitter on Tuesday.

“Consultations on the main negotiation platform renewed. General regulation matters, ceasefire, withdrawal of troops from the territory of the country,” he tweeted.

More sanctions unveiled

The UK sanctioned 370 Russians and also imposed new trade restrictions on luxury Russian goods and vodka. Besides, the European Union (EU) announced a fourth round of sanctions, this time targeting Moscow’s ability to finance the invasion.

The EU formally approved on Tuesday the sanctions, which include bans on investments in the Russian energy sector, luxury goods exports and imports of steel products from Russia.

The sanctions, which came into effect after publication in the EU official journal later on Tuesday, also froze the assets of more business leaders who support the Russian state, including Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich.