The battle for Ukraine’s cities thundered across its suburbs Tuesday, with the Ukrainian military saying it forced Russian troops out of a strategically important Kyiv suburb, while Russian forces took partial control of three northwest areas where there’s been fighting for weeks.
A senior U.S. defense official said Tuesday that Russian ground forces were still largely stalled outside the capital city, but Russian ships spent the past day shelling the already devastated southern port city of Mariupol from offshore.
Thousands of civilians made the dangerous escape from Mariupol on Tuesday. Some described fleeing through street gun battles and past corpses as Russian forces tried to pound the city into submission. One woman who made it out said planes flew overhead “and dropped bombs everywhere.”
There was no word of a diplomatic breakthrough. Ukraine’s President described negotiations with Russia as “step by step, but they are going forward.” The U.S. intends to announce new sanctions against Russia this week. Meanwhile, more than 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the war began Feb. 24, and millions more have been displaced within the country, the United Nations said.
Here are some key things to know about the conflict:
WHY ARE SUBURBS IN UKRAINE TURNING INTO BATTLEFIELDS?
The suburbs could be a barrier to Ukraine’s cities or a doorway for Russian troops, particularly around the capital of Kyiv — believed to be Moscow’s primary military objective.
After a fierce battle, Ukrainian troops regained control of the suburb of Makariv on Tuesday, allowing Ukrainian forces to retake a key highway to the west and block Russian troops from surrounding the capital from the northwest, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said.
But the ministry said Russian forces were able to partially take northwest suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, some of which had been under attack for weeks.
John Kirby, the Pentagon’s spokesman, said the U.S. was not in a position to confirm that Ukrainian troops regained Makariv, but said, “we have seen indications that the Ukrainians are going a bit more on the offensive now.”
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN MARIUPOL?
The Russian assault has turned life in Mariupol into a fight for survival.
Electricity, water and food supplies have been cut off, as well as communication with the outside world.
During his nightly address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of blocking a humanitarian convoy trying to bring desperately needed supplies to Mariupol and seizing what another Ukrainian official said were 15 of the bus drivers and rescue workers on the aid mission. Zelenskyy said the Russians had agreed to the route ahead of time.
Although people continued to evacuate Mariupol in droves, Zelenskyy said about 100,000 remain in the city in “inhuman conditions”and under constant shelling and bombardment. The prewar population of the port city was 430,000.
Many attempts to leave have been thwarted by Russian efforts to pound Mariupol into submission. On that, Moscow has not succeeded, Britain’s defense ministry said Tuesday. But Russia now controls the land corridor from Crimea, the peninsula it annexed in 2014, and is blocking Ukraine’s access to the Sea of Azov.
Those who have made it out of Mariupol described a devastated landscape.
“They bombed us for the past 20 days,” said Viktoria Totsen, 39, who fled to Poland. “During the last five days the planes were flying over us every five seconds and dropped bombs everywhere — on residential buildings, kindergartens, art schools, everywhere.”
WHAT HAS THE AP DIRECTLY WITNESSED OR CONFIRMED?
Explosions and bursts of gunfire shook Kyiv, and heavy artillery fire could be heard from the northwest, where Russia has sought to encircle and capture several the capital’s suburban areas. Black smoke could be seen at a distance in the north.
In Lviv, families exchanged tearful farewells as women and…
Read More: Russia-Ukraine war: Key things to know about the conflict