Russia stepped up its assault on key Ukrainian cities Wednesday, as the seventh day of Moscow’s invasion threatened to bring even greater violence and destruction to civilian areas across the country.
As a miles-long military convoy threatened Ukraine’s capital, Russia intensified its offensive on four strategic cities: Kharkiv, Mariupol, Kherson and Kyiv. Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, faced fresh shelling and an overnight attack from paratroopers. In the south, the port city Kherson was the subject of fierce fighting and a dispute over who was in control.
President Joe Biden warned during his State of the Union address that Russian President Vladimir Putin would pay a “high price” for his actions and announced that the United States would close its skies to Russian aircraft.
With its military advance facing fierce resistance and its economy spiraling from crippling sanctions, the Kremlin appeared to intensify its crackdown on dissent at home in a bid to limit news coverage of the invasion.
Latest developments on Ukraine:
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Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, was hit by fresh attacks.
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Russia claimed it took control of Kherson as the city’s mayor said residents were “waiting for a miracle.”
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Russian President Vladimir Putin “will pay” for the invasion, President Joe Biden vowed in his State of the Union address.
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The Kremlin moved to restrict independent media in Russia.
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More than 670,000 people have fled Ukraine. The U.N. estimates this number could grow to 5 million.
Despite intensifying strikes on civilian areas, Russian troops targeting Ukraine’s two largest cities have made little progress over the last day due to both “logistical difficulties” and strong Ukrainian resistance, according to Britain’s defense ministry.
Russian artillery and airstrikes have aimed at “built up areas” in its target cities, the ministry added. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of war crimes for targeting civilians and hitting residential districts. Moscow has consistently denied the claims.
“Many of our cities and villages are now suffering from Russian terror, but Kharkiv, Mariupol and Kherson are getting the most,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in a Facebook post.
Russian paratroopers landed overnight in Kharkiv, the key northeastern city with a population of 1.5 million, according to Ukraine’s state communications service, citing its security service. Battles broke out between Russian and Ukrainian forces and Russian troops attacked a military medical center, the statement said.
Fresh Russian strikes also hit the regional police and intelligence headquarters, according to the Ukrainian state emergency services.
Videos and photos released by the emergency services showed fires burning on a roof, with piles of rubble littering the streets as firefighters watched charred debris fall several stories to the ground from burning buildings. NBC News has verified the video.
The city had come under an intensifying assault on Tuesday from the ground and the air, with around 21 people killed and 112 injured during the course of the day, according to Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional council.
It was unclear exactly who controlled the southern city of Kherson, strategically located on the Dnieper river, though the city’s mayor said he was “waiting for a miracle” after Russian attacks.
Early Wednesday a spokesman for Russia’s defense ministry, Igor Konashenkov, said its forces had taken control, and Britain’s defense ministry said Russian troops had moved into the city center. NBC News was unable to verify the claims.
Mayor Ihor Kolykhaev said in a Facebook post that Kherson was “in a difficult situation,” and “waiting for a miracle,” as he warned residents to stay indoors. City Hall was shelled and officials were working to restore critical infrastructure that was destroyed, he added.
But Ukrainian officials denied the city had fallen into Russian hands.
Troops from both sides were still fighting in the streets, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said in a message on Telegram.
To the east, the port city of Mariupol was calmer on Wednesday, Arestovych said, after it came under intense shelling a day earlier. Russia said it had the area surrounded with its forces controlling the entire coast of the Sea of Azov, according to Reuters.
Ukrainian officials have said they will focus their efforts on ensuring Kyiv doesn’t fall.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned that the “enemy is bringing forces closer to the capital.” Ukrainian and Russian forces fought overnight to the northwest of the city, he said.
“We are preparing and will defend Kyiv,” he said in a video posted on Telegram.
‘We were ready’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of aiming to erase his country after the intensifying airstrikes hit urban areas including Kyiv.
“They know nothing about our capital, about our history, but they have an order: to erase our history, erase our country, erase us all,” he said in a speech posted on social media early Wednesday.
Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, invoked the barbarism of the Holocaust on Tuesday after Russian forces hit a television tower located beside Babi Yar, a Kyiv ravine where Nazi Germany committed atrocities during World War II. Five people were killed in the strike, he said.
NBC News has not confirmed the numbers of any deaths. Ukrainian officials and global leaders have accused Russia of hitting residential districts, but Russia has consistently denied targeting civilians.
The war killed at least 142 people between February 24 and 28, according to figures released by the U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday. The true figures were likely higher as further deaths have been reported on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“Most of these casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems as well as air strikes,” according to the UN statement.
Nearly 700,000 people have fled for neighboring countries since the Russian invasion began. Families have been separated as a growing wave of people have fled their homes and attempted to ensure the safety of their children while others stayed back to join the fight.
Biden added to the fierce global backlash against Putin Tuesday night. In his State of the Union address, the president promised more pain for the Kremlin and its cadre of oligarchs as punishment for its invasion of its democratic neighbor.
“Putin’s war was premeditated and unprovoked. He rejected efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. And he thought he could divide us here at home,” Biden said. “Putin was wrong. We were ready.”
Russia’s economy has spiraled since the U.S. and its allies imposed crippling sanctions. The Moscow Stock Exchange remained closed for the third day in a row on Wednesday.
With condemnation growing abroad and evidence of some dissent within Russia, two independent media outlets were blocked Tuesday after authorities accused them of reporting “false information.” Among other things, the Kremlin is not allowing the fighting to be referred to as an “invasion” or “war.”
Meanwhile, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Russia was ready for a second round of talks with Ukrainian officials on Wednesday evening.
“We are ready to negotiate, but we are by no means not ready to accept any Russian ultimatums,” Ukraine’s minister for foreign affairs Dmytro Kuleba said in a Facebook post. He said it was unknown when talks would take place.
