Russia’s Assault On Kyiv Continues As Foreign Leaders Visit Ukraine’s Capital

March 15, 2022
An Ukrainian serviceman gestures as people evacuate the city of Irpin on March 13, 2022. - Russian forces advance ever closer to the capital from the north, west and northeast. Russian strikes also destroy an airpor... An Ukrainian serviceman gestures as people evacuate the city of Irpin on March 13, 2022. - Russian forces advance ever closer to the capital from the north, west and northeast. Russian strikes also destroy an airport in the town of Vasylkiv, south of Kyiv. A US journalist was shot dead and another wounded in Irpin, a frontline northwest suburb of Kyiv, medics and witnesses told AFP. (Photo by Aris Messinis / AFP) (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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March 15, 2022

Leaders of three European nations arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday, nearly three weeks into a war that’s both claimed the lives of thousands and also seen Russia fail to take the capital.

In this case, it’s Poland, Czechia, and Slovenia that sent their Prime Ministers, who arrived by train and are meeting with top Ukrainian officials. It’s a strong signal of support and defiance from three countries that, thirty years ago, were behind the iron curtain.

In Kyiv, things look grim. A Russian strike appears to have hit a central metro station and market, with residential buildings on the city’s outskirts being hit. Five journalists have been killed in fighting around the capital, including a Ukrainian fixer and an Irish cameraman on assignment with Fox News. Refugees are telling stories of summary executions in towns taken over by Russian forces, while the U.N. now estimates that three million people have fled Ukraine because of the invasion.

It’s a tragedy of unimaginable scale.

And it’s one that comes as Russia continues to make what may be more than feints at a diplomatic solution. While President Zelensky has repeated that he’s no longer interested in NATO accession for Ukraine, Russia is keeping up the military pressure, closing in on the southern stronghold city of Mariupol. Talks are ongoing, but it remains as clear as it was one, two, or three weeks ago where they may lead.

Follow our live coverage below:

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Leaders of three European nations arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday, nearly three weeks into a war that’s both claimed the lives of thousands and also seen Russia fail to take the capital.

In this case, it’s Poland, Czechia, and Slovenia that sent their Prime Ministers, who arrived by train and are meeting with top Ukrainian officials. It’s a strong signal of support and defiance from three countries that, thirty years ago, were behind the iron curtain.

In Kyiv, things look grim. A Russian strike appears to have hit a central metro station and market, with residential buildings on the city’s outskirts being hit. Five journalists have been killed in fighting around the capital, including a Ukrainian fixer and an Irish cameraman on assignment with Fox News. Refugees are telling stories of summary executions in towns taken over by Russian forces, while the U.N. now estimates that three million people have fled Ukraine because of the invasion.

It’s a tragedy of unimaginable scale.

And it’s one that comes as Russia continues to make what may be more than feints at a diplomatic solution. While President Zelensky has repeated that he’s no longer interested in NATO accession for Ukraine, Russia is keeping up the military pressure, closing in on the southern stronghold city of Mariupol. Talks are ongoing, but it remains as clear as it was one, two, or three weeks ago where they may lead.

Follow our live coverage below:

Notable Replies

  1. Technically, this could get real ugly real fast if any one of the visiting diplomats gets hurt or killed during this visit.

  2. I was thinking the same thing yesterday when the visit was announced. I admire their courage for wanting to meet in Kyiv, and the symbolic value of meeting there, but . . .

  3. Avatar for tao tao says:

    Given the communications SNAFU the Russian forces work under, deliberate and accidental incidents are equally likely.

  4. If they can be so brave in such danger, so can we in the comfort of our homes.

  5. It occurs to me that this could also be an expression of how confident they are in the quality and depth of NATO’s intelligence coverage.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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