Russian forces edge closer to Kyiv as city becomes ‘fortress’

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Russian troops edged closer to Kyiv on Friday, as officials said the Ukrainian capital was being transformed into a “fortress” and President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of again targeting humanitarian corridors.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians remain holed up in Ukrainian cities, including besieged Mariupol, under a Russian bombing campaign after the first talks between Moscow and Kyiv’s top diplomats ended without any progress.

The Ukrainian military in a statement warned “the enemy is trying to eliminate the defences of the Ukrainian forces around” regions to the west and northwest of the capital “to block Kyiv.”

“We can’t rule out a movement of the enemy to the east towards Brovary,” the statement added.

In the capital, mayor Vitali Klitschko said half the population had fled, adding that the city “has been transformed into a fortress”.

“Every street, every building, every checkpoint has been fortified.”

Russian forces are currently encircling at least four major Ukrainian cities and armoured vehicles have rolled up to Kyiv’s northeastern edge, where suburbs including Irpin and Bucha have endured days of heavy bombardment.

Ukrainian soldiers there described fierce fighting for control of the main highway leading into the capital, and AFP reporters saw missile strikes in Velyka Dymerka just outside Kyiv’s city limits.

“It’s frightening, but what can you do?” said Vasyl Popov, a 38-year-old advertising salesman. “There is nowhere to really run or hide. We live here.”

Britain’s defence ministry said in an intelligence update that “Russian forces are committing an increased number of their deployed forces to encircle key cities.”

“This will reduce the number of forces available to continue their advance and will further slow Russian progress,” a statement tweeted by the ministry said. (AFP)