UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS
By Ruslan Rehimov
KYIV, Ukraine (AA) – Some 20,800 Russian soldiers have so far been killed in Ukraine, the Ukrainian military claimed on Tuesday.
Ukrainian forces have destroyed 169 Russian aircraft, 150 helicopters, 134 unmanned aerial vehicles, 802 tanks, 2,063 armored vehicles, and 386 artillery systems, according to the Ukrainian General Staff’s latest update.
A total of 132 Russian multiple rocket launcher systems, 1,495 vehicles, 76 fuel tanks, 67 anti-aircraft systems, and eight boats have also been destroyed, it added.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian deputy prime minister said humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians could not be agreed upon with Russia.
Iryna Vereshchuk said on Telegram that due to the violation of the agreements by the Russian forces, the convoy of humanitarian cargo could not move further beyond Berdyansk.
She said they continue negotiations on the opening of humanitarian corridors in the Kherson and Kharkiv regions.
While Russian attacks against the Donbas region have increased in the last two days, there is no agreement on humanitarian corridors between Ukraine and Russia.
Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday said Russian forces have intensified their attacks in the besieged southeastern port city of Mariupol and the Donbas region.
The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian troops are focused on breaking through the defense of Ukrainian troops in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and establishing full control over Mariupol.
Mariupol municipality officials announced that Azovstal metallurgical plant facilities in the city, most part of which was currently controlled by Russian forces, were under bombardment throughout the day.
It is claimed that there are nearly 1,000 civilians who took refuge in the facilities along with Ukrainian soldiers.
Meanwhile, Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai announced that the attacks by Russian troops were prevented by Ukrainian soldiers in the eastern Rubizhne and Popasna cities.
Haidai called on civilians in Luhansk to urgently move to safe zones in the country.
Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on Telegram that Russian forces continued their missile attacks and artillery strikes on the northeastern Ukrainian city.
Five civilians died, while 17 others were injured in the attacks over the last 24 hours, Synyehubov added.
At least 2,072 civilians have been killed and 2,818 injured in Ukraine so far in the war that started on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates, with the true figure believed to be much higher.
More than 4.9 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, with over 7 million more internally displaced, said the UN refugee agency.
* Writing by Gozde Bayar and Zehra Nur Duz in Ankara