Moscow has signalled it has scaled back its Ukrainian ambitions to focus on areas claimed by Russian-backed separatists as Ukrainian forces move to recapture towns near Kyiv.
Russia will focus on the liberation of Ukraine's eastern Donbass region after mostly completing the first phase of its military operation, Moscow's defence ministry has said.
About 300 people died when a Russian air strike last week blew up a theatre in Mariupol where hundreds of civilians were sheltering, Ukrainian officials say, citing witnesses.
Ukrainian military leaders expect more heavy shelling by Russian forces of key infrastructure and civilian targets as U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated his warning that Moscow may be considering using chemical weapons as its unprovoked offensive stalls on the ground.