Russia-Ukraine War: Updates on Kyiv city, Ukraine

Formerly home to more than 450,000 people, Mariupol has been “reduced to ashes,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as new images reveal Russian forces dug in around the southern port city.

Nexus News recalls that on Monday, Ukrainian officials had dismissed a Russian deadline to surrender the city.

CNN reports that a Russian tabloid published, then later removed, a report that Russia’s Defense Ministry had recorded the deaths of nearly 10,000 military members during the invasion.

Here’s the latest news on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:

Summit in Europe to debate war: US President Joe Biden and his fellow world leaders hope to finalize and unveil a package of new measures to penalize Russia, help Ukraine and demonstrate Western unity at a string of emergency summits in Europe this week. However, aside from a dramatic show of resolve, few observers believe anything the leaders can agree upon will be enough to end the bloodshed or dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from continuing his attacks. Biden has “no plans” to visit Ukraine, the White House said.
People’s vote: The Ukrainian President said any constitutional changes that relate to security guarantees in the country would need to be determined through a referendum. Zelensky said he has not met with Russian negotiators during recent peace talks but told his delegation that any significant compromise would require a people’s vote.
Flooding and fires: New satellite images reveal fires from military strikes and growing flooding from the Irpin River. The images, taken Monday, also show Russian artillery positions west of the Russian-held Antonov Air Base northwest of Kyiv. CNN previously reported that a dam along the Dnieper River was flooding the Irpin River basin and its tributaries. The Irpin River is critical to the Russian advance toward Kyiv; if the Russians cannot cross it, they can’t take Kyiv from the west.
Holocaust survivor dies in Russian strike: Boris Romanchenko, 96, survived four Nazi concentration camps, but his life was ended Friday by a Russian strike on Kharkiv, Buchenwald memorial institute, reports.In a series of tweets, the institute said that according to his granddaughter, Romanchenko was living in an apartment block in Kharkiv that was hit during a Russian attack.
Biden alerts of cyber threats: The US President urged private sector partners to immediately harden their cyber defenses, pointing to “evolving intelligence” indicating “the potential that Russia could conduct malicious cyber activity against the United States.” While pledging his administration would “continue to use every tool to deter, disrupt, and if necessary, respond to cyberattacks against critical infrastructure,” Biden acknowledged, “the federal government can’t defend against this threat alone.”
US requests consular access in Russia: US Ambassador John Sullivan met with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday and demanded “consular access to all US citizen detainees in Russia, including those in pre-trial detention,” according to the US Embassy in Moscow. The demand comes as WNBA player Brittney Griner and former US Marines Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed are being held in Russia.