trying to break through the ukrainian defense line here. they control about 90% of this region here. and so we have seen a dramatic escalation in artillery power, this is the severdonetsk area, and the ukrainian military now reporting that there are about 15 additional helicopters that are in that area from the russians who have been brought into really try to break through that line. and that would be critical for the russians if they were able to do that, that would make ukrainian defenses vulnerable from three different directions and enable the russians to make head way there. another important note, if you look north of kharkiv, that is where the russians continue on border skirmishes, these attacks in these small villages, trying to distract the ukrainian military units to focus on that area and not on the east where they need to make some progress. suzanne malveaux in lviv, thank you. 20 past the hour.
well as security officials from ukraine and international mediators involved, but the fate of those 1,000 ukrainian soldiers still uncertain. suzanne malveaux, cnn, in lviv. this just in, the first russian war crimes trial since moscow s invasion of ukraine is under way in kyiv. the 21-year-old russian soldier accused of killing an unarmed civilian pleaded guilty. cnn s melissa bell live outside of the courthouse. melissa? reporter: well, john, we had been expecting a fairly dramatic day because we were expecting the testimony of vadim shyshimarin as you say, the first russian prisoner of war to go on trial, here in kyiv, charged with war crimes. but things have taken an even more dramatic turn than we expected since the journalists had just been moved out of the room. there were too many of us here given the huge attention that this trial is attracting. it is now postponed and will be moved to tomorrow.
after weeks of fierce resistance, russia s defense ministry says a thousand ukrainian soldiers have surrendered as the azovstal steel plant in mariupol since monday. cnn s suzanne malveaux reports from lviv. reporter: we have new numbers now this morning from the russian defense ministry saying a thousand ukrainian soldiers from that steel plant now in russian hands, either in a russian prison or a hospital. those are numbers that neither cnn can confirm and ukrainians have not updated, but the fate of those soldiers, of course, great concern to ukrainian families who have many questions, especially the 50 or so wounded, expected to be traded for russian prisoners of war in a negotiation that continues. the president of ukraine, zelenskyy, trying to reassure its people there is a process in place involving intelligence, as
says russian forces have not made much ground as a result. here s how the press secretary sums up ukraine s progress so far. they have prevented the russian from achieving virtually any of their strategic objectives thus far in the war. meanwhile, ukraine making use of dozen of artillery systems provided by the u.s. they sent a message of them in action. it praised the artillery is high precision and effective weapons. the war, of course weighs heavily on all aspects of life in ukraine. scott mclean reports now on how the conflict has impacted a university in the western city of lviv. reporter: ukrainian catholic university in lviv looks like an oasis of calm. you had two years of covid then
have control of pure drone footage shows the city of mariupol nearly leveled. the mayor there tells fox news russians are committing atrocities forcing remaining ukraine into work for food. they made ukrainians bury their own dead to hide war crimes. in the meanwhile, ukrainians will cut off gas supply hub that is currently controlled by russians in the donbas region that transport up to a third of russian gas into europe. the first time pipeline carrying the gas affected by the war and will be shut off. nl finland s president and prime minister say they are in favor of applying for nato membership. carley, todd. carley: all right, matt finn a lot for us in lviv, thank you. listen to this american held hostage for a month by russian forces is finally reunited with his family.