Fighting raged Wednesday in Ukraine despite Russia’s indication that it planned to de-escalate, and U.S. intelligence claimed Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is angry after being misled by his own military.
Hopes that negotiations in Istanbul could open the door to relative calm in pro-Western Ukraine evaporated in a series of battles, including more Russian bombing of civilian areas and advances by Ukrainian fighters.
As the number of refugees estimated by the United Nations topped 4 million — close to one in 10 inhabitants — there was no sign of Russia making good on its promise during the talks Tuesday to pull back from the city of Chernigiv and capital Kyiv.
AFP reporters heard frequent explosions coming from the direction of the strategic town of Irpin to the northwest of Kyiv.
And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address that “we don’t believe anyone,” vowing Ukrainians will continue to “fight for every meter of our territory.”
There was hope at least for some of the civilians caught under horrific Russian bombardments in the southern city of Mariupol after Russia’s defense ministry said it had accepted a Ukrainian plan to open temporary evacuation corridors.
The ministry said a local ceasefire would take effect at 10:00 am (0700 GMT) Thursday in Mariupol.
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