Several thick columns of black smoke were seen in the city sky shortly after, as on the first day, where several Russian attacks affected residential buildings. Other explosions were heard early in the morning. No evaluation or details were immediately provided by local authorities, while the press was not allowed to circulate in the city under tensions due to the curfew.

At least four people were killed and about 40 others were rescued in an apartment building in Kyiv’s western district, Svyatoshin, on Tuesday after a Russian attack caught fire. At least two other attacks left several people injured in the city.

US President Joe Biden will announce these 800 million before Congress after a video intervention by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

Mr Zelensky is due to speak at 1 pm GMT before US lawmakers, who are urging President Biden to toughen his tone against Russia. US elected officials from both sides are also urging Joe Biden to facilitate the delivery of Polish MiG-29s to Ukraine, which Washington has refused.

“Dangerous Times”

Despite these pleas for help, Russia’s firing against cities in Ukraine intensified on Tuesday. In Mariupol, another martyr city in southeastern Ukraine, the situation remains dramatic, but according to Ukraine’s president, about 20,000 civilians were able to leave the port city in 4,000 cars on Tuesday.

All described a grueling journey during which they, in constant fear of enemy fire, were forced to hit the road to escape Russian troops and outposts.

Russia is expanding its offensive across Ukraine, now targeting the West as well. After Sunday’s attack on a military base near Poland, 19 people were killed in Monday’s attack against a television tower near Rivne (north-west).

In this context of intense attacks, talks between Moscow and Kyiv that began on Tuesday are set to resume on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian president brought some hope on Tuesday, noting that the situation was now “more realistic”. He pointed to Moscow, saying he was ready to relinquish any of his country’s membership in NATO, a case bailey for Russia.

However, that is not enough to bow down to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who “emphasized that Kyiv did not show a serious commitment to finding an acceptable solution”.

Turkish mediation

Mediation efforts by Turkey, a member of NATO but which refused to engage in sanctions against Moscow, continue. Turkey’s foreign minister is in Moscow, then will travel to Ukraine to seek a ceasefire.

An extraordinary NATO summit devoted to the conflict is due in Brussels on 24 March, along with a summit of EU leaders. Joe Biden will be there to reaffirm the United States’ “ironclad commitment” to his allies. And, not being able to intervene militarily, the EU will take on a fourth package of sanctions against Russian oligarchs. The UK followed suit, adding punitive vodka tariffs and additional asset freezes.

counter-punishment

Moscow responded with counter-sanctions targeting Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several members of their governments.

Russia is also seeking to put forward a “humanitarian” draft resolution before the UN Security Council, which could be voted on Thursday.

He expressed the Security Council’s “deep concern” at the “reports of civilian casualties including children in and around Ukraine”. As it stands, it is unlikely to garner the necessary votes.