The situation is rapidly deteriorating in Ukraine, where Russian forces are closing in on the capital Kyiv and bombarding and surrounding the strategically important port city of Mariupol.
Ground forces have moved to within 15 miles of Kyiv’s center, according to Britain’s Defense Ministry. Around the city, artillery barrages have sent residents heading for shelter.
In Mariupol, which has faced some of the worst suffering since Russia began its Ukraine invasion, Russian forces shelled a mosque housing more than 80 people, including children, the Ukrainian government said on Saturday. The number of casualties wasn’t immediately clear.
Ukraine’s president suggested the war has reached a “strategic turning point” as the shelling of neighboring cities intensifies.
ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. is deploying additional troops to Eastern Europe to support NATO forces. It’s also sending more weapons and billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine.
President Biden reiterated his position on Friday that no American soldiers will go into battle.
Amid the developments, the civilian death toll is surging in the third week of the offensive.
In the Black Sea port city of Mykolaiv, the night offers no rest. In an effort to break Ukraine off from vital access to the sea, Russian shelling has broken infrastructure, homes, and families.
Two weeks ago, some children – who are now forced to live in a basement beneath a derelict market – were playing hide and seek. Now they’re hiding from banned cluster bombs, according to the local government. Their cold and dark bunker will only get fuller in the days ahead, says the mayor, Oleksandr Senkevych.
CBS News’ Chris Livesay asked him if Russia is attacking civilians on purpose.
“I think the main idea is to kill Ukrainians as much as they can,” he said. “It’s a complete lie when they say they want to protect us. They want to kill as much Ukrainians as they can.”
It’s not only shelling civilians have to fear. In the occupied city of Melitopol, Russian soldiers captured the mayor, put a bag over his head and took him to an undisclosed location, in broad daylight.
Across Ukraine, those brave enough to step outside find their cities mutilated.
The contested eastern city of Volnovakha is now in the teeth of Russian separatists, brandishing a trademark Z to show loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
