Russia-Ukraine War News LIVE Updates: Russia to Continue ‘Uncompromising’ Fight in Ukraine, Putin Tells French Prez Macron
Russia-Ukraine War News LIVE Updates: The United States raised the alarm Wednesday over the “staggering” human cost of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, as the apparent deployment of cluster bombs and other treaty-violating weapons raised fears of a brutal escalation in the week-old conflict. The American warnings came as Russia revealed 498 of its troops had been killed in the assault on ex-Soviet Ukraine
And they came on the eve of the resumption of ceasefire talks after a first-round Monday failed to produce a breakthrough. On the ground in Ukraine, Russia appeared despite determined resistance to be intensifying the offensive ordered seven days earlier by President Vladimir Putin — in defiance of almost the entire international community. “Today was the hardest, cruelest of the seven days of this war,” said Vadym Boychenko, the mayor of the key southeastern port of Mariupol who said Russian forces pummelled the city for hours and were attempting to block civilians from leaving.
“Today they just wanted to destroy us all,” he said in a video on Telegram, accusing Russian forces of shooting at residential buildings. Boychenko said more of the city’s vital infrastructure was damaged in the assault, leaving people without light, water or heating. In Washington, top US diplomat Antony Blinken warned the human costs were already “staggering,” accusing Russia of attacking places that “aren’t military targets.”
