KYIV: Russia and Ukraine failed to make a breakthrough on Thursday in their first top-level talks since Moscow’s invasion two weeks ago, amid international outrage over the bombing of a children’s hospital that Kyiv said killed three people, including a young girl.

An official of the Ukrainian parliament, meanwhile, said at least 71 children have been killed and more than 100 wounded in Ukraine since Russia launched the war.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said there was “no progress” even on a 24-hour ceasefire, after talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Turkey, although the latter said Moscow would keep talking.

Russian forces on Thur­sday rolled their armoured vehicles up to the northeastern edge of Kyiv, a team of journalists saw, edging closer in their attempts to encircle the Ukrainian capital.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said half the population had fled, adding: “Kyiv has been transformed into a fortress. Every street, every building, every checkpoint has been fortified.”

The UN estimates more than 2.3 million refugees have left Ukraine since the start of the invasion, which prompted unprecedented Western sanctions against Moscow along with a cultural and sporting boycott.

At least 35,000 civilians were evacuated from the cities of Sumy, Enerhodar and areas around Kyiv on Wednesday, President Volo­dy­myr Zelensky said, with three more routes set to open up, including out of the southern port city of Mariupol.

The children’s and maternity hospital in Mariupol was attacked on Wednesday in what Zelensky described as a Russian “war crime”, and which sparked global outrage. Local officials said on Thur­sday that at least three people were killed in the attack, including a young girl.

Situation in Mariupol

Ten days of constant attacks on Mariupol have already left more than 1,200 civilians dead, according to the mayor, and created what aid agencies call an “apocalyptic” situation, with no water, power or heat.

Zelensky shared footage on Wednesday of massive destruction at the hospital, saying the “direct strike by Russian troops” had left children under the wreckage.

Officials had previously said 17 people were injured, including doctors.

The White House slammed the “barbaric” use of force against civilians, while EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell echoed Zelensky in calling it a “heinous war crime”.

Russia’s foreign ministry did not deny the attack but accused Ukrainian “nationalist battalions” of using the hospital to set up firing positions after moving out staff and patients.

Lavrov reiterated the claim on Thursday, saying it was a military base for members of the radical Azov Battalion.

Asked by a Turkish reporter if Russia was planning to attack other nations, Lavrov replied “we don’t plan to attack other countries” and claimed “we did not attack Ukraine”.

He insisted that the Russian president launched the operation as the situation in Ukraine “posed a direct threat to the Russian Federation”.

On the northeastern edge of Kyiv, Ukrainian soldiers described a night of heavy battles for control of the main highway leading into the capital. Journalists witnessed missile strikes in Velkya Dymerka, a largely deserted village just outside Kyiv’s city limits.

Ukrainian forces only had a minimal presence in the village, which locals said witnessed heavy fighting overnight.

“It’s frightening, but what can you do, there is nowhere to really run or hide. We live here,” said Vasyl Popov, a 38-year-old advertising sal­es­man. In the nearby villages, there were few cars on the road and they drove with ut­m­ost caution in what was now frontline territory.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2022