Conflict Update: Sixth Day of War - 1 March 2022 22:47 (GMT)
Day 6 started early with reports about missile strikes in Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv. Missile strikes hit the regional government headquarters and a residential bloc, killing at least 18 civilians, and wounding dozens more. This was followed by a Russian artillery attack at a military base in Okhtyrka, where more than 70 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed according to the head of the region. In the evening, the Kyiv TV tower was allegedly hit by a missile, killing five and wounding five more. The UN human rights office said that at least 136 civilians have been killed, including 13 children, and 400 have been injured since the start of the invasion. Considering the nature of the conflict, the number is likely to be higher.
The British defence ministry said in an intelligence update that the Russian advance on Kyiv made slow progress towards Kyiv over the past 24 hours, remaining approximately 30km from the centre of the city. It was also reported in the same update that over the past 48 hours, in densely populated urban areas across Ukraine, Russian air and artillery strikes have increased. The intelligence update was concluded by noting that Ukrainian forces continue to hold the cities of Kharkiv, Kherson and Mariupol but all 3 cities are likely encircled by Russian forces. The surroundment of Kherson was also reported in the morning by a Ukrainian journalist, Alyona Panina, and the city’s mayor.
According to Russian state media, a second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine has been scheduled for tomorrow, but Ukraine has not confirmed yet. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russia must stop bombing Ukrainian cities before meaningful talks about a ceasefire can begin and urged Nato members to impose a no-fly zone to stop the Russian air force.