SCS
-0.0400
On the sixth day of fighting in Ukraine Tuesday, Russia is striking cities and building up its forces near the capital Kyiv, vowing not to stop until "set goals are achieved".
Here is a summary of the situation on the ground, based on statements from the warring sides, Western defence and intelligence sources and international organisations.
The military situation:
- Russia says will continue "until set goals are achieved"
- Satellite images show 65-kilometre (40-mile) column of Russian trucks, armoured vehicles and artillery north of Kyiv
- Citizens build barricades in city centre
- Russia tells residents near Kyiv intelligence structure to evacuate
- Russian troops and pro-Moscow rebels link up in a key region in eastern Ukraine, Moscow says
- Ukraine says has taken out hundreds of Russian pieces of weaponry, including 29 aircraft, 29 helicopters and 198 tanks
- Russian shelling of Kharkiv kills 10 or more, wounds 20, Ukraine says
- Ukraine says Russia firing rockets into residential areas after failing to take Kharkiv and Chernihiv
- Russian army sets up checkpoints at southern city of Kherson, mayor says
- Russia says fired long-range high-precision weapons from the sea, hitting two unspecified airfields and three air defence radars
- Russian forces made little progress in past 24 hours and don't control Ukraine's airspace, British intelligence says
- France sends hundreds more troops into Romania
- NATO will "defend every inch" of its territory, alliance chief says
The civilian/humanitarian situation:
- UN says 12 million people in Ukraine will need aid
- One million people are displaced within Ukraine, and more than 660,000 have fled abroad, UN says
- China begins evacuating nationals from Ukraine
burs-jh/adp/ach
R.Schmid--NZN