Russia-Ukraine war: At least 102 civilians dead in five days of war

Blasts continued to be heard in Kyiv and Kharkiv • Ukrainian prisoners with military backgrounds will be released to fight

 Servicemen of pro-Russian militia walk next to a military convoy of armed forces of the separatist self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) on a road in the Luhansk region, Ukraine February 27, 2022. (photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)
Servicemen of pro-Russian militia walk next to a military convoy of armed forces of the separatist self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) on a road in the Luhansk region, Ukraine February 27, 2022.
(photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)

Blasts were heard in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the major city of Kharkiv on Monday morning, Ukraine's State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection said. Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv later on in the day.

The attacks were later renewed in the evening.

Head of Regional Administration Oleg Synegubov reported that the shelling in Kharkiv killed 11 and injured dozens.

Sirens sounded in Kyiv on Monday evening after a reported explosion was heard in the city. the mayor of Brovary on the outskirts of Kyiv reported that air raids had been carried out there and that there were wounded people.

At least 102 civilians in Ukraine have been killed since Russia launched its invasion last Thursday, with a further 304 injured, but the real figure is feared to be "considerably higher," UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Monday.

 Smoke rising after shelling on the outskirts of the city is pictured from Kyiv, Ukraine February 27, 2022. (credit: Mykhailo Markiv/Reuters)
Smoke rising after shelling on the outskirts of the city is pictured from Kyiv, Ukraine February 27, 2022. (credit: Mykhailo Markiv/Reuters)

In a phone call with France's President Emmanuel Macron, Putin agreed to stop strikes on the civilian population of Ukraine.

The Berdyansk district, located southwest of Mariupol along the coast of the Sea of Azov, was captured by Russian troops on Monday morning, according to the Ukrinform state news agency. One person was killed and another was injured during the Russian takeover of the city, according to the report. The city's police department disbanded and public transport has stopped.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated on Monday that Russian forces had taken control of Berdyansk, Enerhodar and the territory around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, located north of Crimea along the Dnieper River. The ministry additionally claimed that it had established supremacy over Ukraine's airspace.

The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces described the fighting on Sunday as "a difficult time" for the military, saying Russian troops "continued shelling in almost all directions."

Russian forces shelled villages near Mariupol on Sunday night, according to the Mariupol City Council. The city remains under Ukrainian control.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that prisoners with real combat experience will be released from custody in order to fight against the Russian invasion.

Zelensky also called on Russian soldiers to stop fighting, saying "Throw away your equipment. Get out of here. Don't trust your commanders. Don't believe your propagandists. Just save your lives."

Read more on the Russia-Ukraine War:

Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency UNHCR, said on Monday that more than 500,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries since the start of Russia's invasion last week.

As of Monday morning, the Ukrainian Armed Forces claimed to have destroyed 29 Russian planes, 29 helicopters, 191 tanks, 816 armored vehicles, 60 fuel tanks, three UAVs, two ships and five air defense systems. The armed forces additionally claimed that 5,300 Russian personnel had been killed in the war.

According to Pravda, a curfew was announced in Kyiv on Monday. It will be in effect between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.