Sorting fact, disinformation after Russian attack on Ukraine

PTI, Mar 1, 2022, 6:23 PM IST

Kyiv: Associated Press journalists around Ukraine and beyond are documenting military activity during Russia’s invasion. With disinformation rife and social media amplifying military claims and counterclaims, determining exactly what is happening is difficult. Here’s a look at what could be confirmed Tuesday as Russia’s military assault on Ukraine was in its sixth day.

DIRECTLY WITNESSED — Russian shelling continued to hit civilian targets in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv. In video verified by the AP, explosions burst one after the other through a residential area of the city.

— Hospital workers transferred a Kharkiv maternity ward to a bomb shelter. Amid makeshift electrical sockets and mattresses piled up against the walls, pregnant women paced the crowded space, accompanied by the cries of dozens of newborns.

— Flames shot up from a military base northeast of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in the suburb of Brovary, according to footage shot from a car driving past that was verified by the AP. Associated Press photos showed wounded men being treated at a hospital in Brovary.

— In Moscow, people lined up to withdraw cash as sanctions imposed by Western countries threatened to drive up prices and reduce the standard of living for millions of ordinary Russians.

SATELLITE IMAGERY — A convoy of Russian tanks continued to threaten Kyiv. The convoy of armored vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was 25 kilometers (17 miles) from the center of the city and stretched about 65 kilometers (40 miles), according to satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies.

ANNOUNCED BY RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES — Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reiterated Tuesday that the Russian military “strikes only military facilities and uses exclusively precision weapons” despite abundant evidence documented by the AP of indiscriminate shelling of homes, schools and hospitals across Ukraine.

ANNOUNCED BY UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says a Russian missile strike hit a central square in the city of Kharkiv, calling it an act of “undisguised terror.” — Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces have blocked a major port on the Black Sea. Ihor Kolyhayev, the mayor of the port of Kherson located on the estuary of the Dnieper River, said Tuesday that it has been sealed by the Russian troops. Kolyhayev’s statement confirms Monday’s Russian military claim that it has sealed the city while pressing its offensive in the south.

— Kharkiv authoriteis say the administration headquarters in the city center came under Russian shelling. Images posted online showed the building’s facade and interior badly damaged by a powerful explosion that also blew up part of its roof. The state emergencies agency said that attack wounded six people, including a child. The day before, authorities said at least 11 people were killed and scores of others were wounded during Monday’s shelling of the city.

ANNOUNCED BY OFFICIALS ELSEWHERE — The U.N. human rights office says it has recorded the deaths of 136 civilians, including 13 children, in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, but warned the toll may be far higher.

— Britain’s defense ministry says Russia’s advance on Kyiv has made little progress in the last 24 hours because of logistical issues.

— The separatist forces in Donetsk say they have established two corridors for the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, an indication that a large attack on the key Azov Sea port could be imminent. Mariupol, an industrial center, is seen as a key target for Russian forces for its economic value and its location, which would help Russia establish a land corridor between Crimea and the Russian mainland.