amp up efforts to interfere in u.s. elections going further than he already has, possibly including these sources say, direct attacks on voting systems. much more on this shortly. first, the shifting battlefield away from the villages and woods around kyiv on a flatter terrain in the donbas in the east, better suited say our military analysts to large scale war, and also amenabl amenable. a senior ukrainian official says the russian offensive has already begun. these are new satellite photos of an eight-mile russian convoy heading towards the region. a senior american defense official says the column includes command and control, a support battalion and other infantry support elements. in the most kharkiv is being shelled in the words of ukraine s interior minister practically all day long. here s some of what cnn saw there today. reporter: you can see all around us just the sheer devastation right here is the crater from where a bomb was dropped just two days ago. north
civilians left lying in the streets where they died. it is hard to imagine that it could get worse, but that is exactly what we re hearing tonight. ukraine bracing for the worst in the east as vladimir putin tries to refocus his murderous efforts on the donbas region. the pentagon calling it the early stages of a new offensive. russia amassing troops and equipment. cnn has geo located this vehicle showing a large column of russian vehicles today traveling in the direction of the donbas. after his 75-minute meeting with putin, austria s chancellor has this grim warning, quote, the attack being threatened cannot be underestimated in its violence. when you think about what we ve seen, the warnings of worse to come, they re appalling. disturbing reports just coming out of the possibility of a strike involving chemical substances of some kind of a target in mariupol today. those reports unconfirmed, but president volodymyr zelenskyy warning the possibility should be taken seriousl
the strike destroyed homes as well as a fertilizer warehouse. meantime, ukrainian officials say they are still defending the besieged port city of mariupol despite recent reports russian forces have been gaining ground and on monday, came unconfirmed reports of a chemical attack in that city. cnn cannot verify that claim, but ukraine s president says they are taking that report and that threat seriously. translator: today, we heard a statement from the occupiers confirming they are preparing for a new stage in their terror against us and our defenders. one of the spokespeople of the invaders said they are considering using chemical weapons against the defenders of mariupol. we take it very seriously. zelenskyy also accused russian forces of planting tens, if not hundreds of thousands of mines, and ordinance in northern ukraine, a move he calls a war crime. that s after the russian military s retreat from the kyiv region. as the russians ramp up their efforts in areas here
dangerous as possible. due to the actions of the russian army, our territory today is one of the most contaminated by mines in the world. to that end, this morning, you can see this huge effort by ukrainians in and around kyiv to uncover and clean up the unexploded mines that were left behind there. overnight, we are getting reports of heavy shelling by the russians in the eastern part of this country. this, of course, is the area where the russians are launching this new offensive. really where we re expecting intense fighting in the days ahead. but, ukrainian officials are hoping that heavy rain will slow plans for the russians in that area. the rain is expected to last for several days. it could create acres and acres of mud here which would keep the russians on the road system and would make them an easier target. as for vladimir putin, he says russia s military goals in ukraine are noble and will be achieved. the reason we re telling you this, this is the first tim
mostly bombings, it appears. at least 11 civilians were killed including a 7-year-old ukrainian child. even more horrific news from the key port city of mariupol which has been under a relentless russian assault for weeks now. the ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy making this grim assessment today. translator: mariupol lies destroyed. tens of thousands have been killed there and still the russians won t end their offensive. they want to make an example out of mariupol as a city ruined. today i m learning that nine volunteer drivers working to evacuate ukrainians from mariupol have been detained by the russian military. as of now, they remain missing. the head of the ukrainian organization help people says ten drivers have been trying to get civilians out of that besieged city. when their vehicles were stopped by russian soldiers who demand that had the evacuees and the mini buses go to russia, the drivers refused. they were detained. the head of the ngo lost contact