WIPED OFF THE MAP
Putin destroys entire CITY and Russians ‘gun down fleeing women & kids killing 7’ as battle for Ukraine gets bloodier
VLADIMIR Putin has destroyed an entire CITY of 21,000 people in eastern Ukraine while his troops were accused of gunning down fleeing women and children, killing seven.
The city and administrative centre of Volnovakha has been completely wiped out amid Russia's annihilation, its regional governor revealed - as the battle for Ukraine continues to get bloodier.
19
19
19
19
Russian-backed separatists claimed on Friday to have captured the strategic city, which is the same size as Truro in Cornwall.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of the Donetsk region, said most civilians in Volnovakha had escaped - but there was barely anything left of the city.
He told reporters today: "In general, Volnovakha with its infrastructure as such no longer exists."
Horrific images showed Russian soldiers and armoured vehicles in Volnovakha - surrounded by burnt-out buildings in the completely gutted city.
It comes after defiant Volodymyr Zelensky vowed Russia will only take Kyiv if Vladimir Putin's troops "raze it to the ground" as the Ukrainian capital prepares for a siege.
Read more on Ukraine
The battle around the capital is raging on as Russian forces close in, with brave Ukrainian soldiers setting up tank traps on the streets to repel invaders.
Putin's troops are inching closer and are believed to be just 15 miles from the city as terrified Ukrainians continue to flee their homes.
Meanwhile, Russia was accused of killing seven people - including a child - who were making a last-ditch attempt to flee the warzone on Saturday.
Ukraine's intelligence service said Russian troops fired at a convoy of civilian evacuees from the village of Peremoha in the Kyiv region.
They said in a statement: "After the attack, the occupiers forced the remnants of the column to turn back to Peremoha and are not letting them out of the village.
"Russians shot a column of women and children while trying to evacuate from the village of Peremoha in the Kyiv region along an agreed 'green' corridor. Seven people died, including one child."
It comes as...
- Ukraine President says THOUSANDS of Russians captured as Putin loses three generals
- Mayor of Melitopol kidnapped by Russian troops & dragged away with bag over his head
- Joe Biden warns of 'WW3' after halting plans to send MiG jets to Ukraine
- Ukrainians insist Ghost of Kyiv is REAL after releasing pic of ace
- Putin invades new Ukrainian cities as he unleashes deadly dawn blitz
- Ukraine claims Belarus is set to invade imminently after Putin met with Europe's last dictator
- Ukrainian refugees could hit 15million if Putin continues with bloody war
Ukraine later corrected their allegation to say the evacuees were not in an agreed corridor, with a statement explaining people had in fact tried to escape by themselves "so they began evacuating without the 'green corridor' agreed by the parties".
Russia has denied targeting civilians since it invaded Ukraine - and blamed Ukraine for repeated stumbles in efforts to evacuate people from the worst-hit areas, including the southern port city of Mariupol.
Putin's bombardment has trapped thousands of people in besieged cities and sent 2.5 million Ukrainians fleeing to neighbouring countries.
And tragically, Zelensky said earlier on Saturday that the conflict meant some small Ukrainian towns no longer existed as he accused Putin of waging a “war of annihilation.”
But the President today warned the Russians would only be able to take control of Kyiv if they "raze it to the ground" as the Ukrainian president confirmed around 1,300 of his troops had been killed since the conflict began.
Elsewhere on Saturday, a Russian rocket today destroyed a Ukrainian airbase near a city in Kyiv Oblast amid escalating conflict around the capital, with footage showing a ferocious fire at the site.
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
According to Vasylkiv Mayor Natalia Balasynovych, an ammunition depot was also hit as footage on social media appeared to show smoke billowing from the scene.
Kyiv Oblast police said a fire broke out at the depot after being struck by six Russian missiles.
Air raid sirens blared out across the capital this morning as well as in other cities - with reports of explosions in the strategic city of Dnipro, as well as in Mykolaiv, Nikolaev and Kropyvnytskyi.
But Ukrainian forces are continuing to defends as shells rain down across the country 17 days into the war.
As Putin's invasion continues to stall, the Ukraine's defence unit has claimed an enemy control point in the Kyiv direction has been destroyed after being blasted from the air as it declared "our Air Force is working" in a tweet.
Most read in News
It comes as Russia is feared to be planning another major assault on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, as troops have been pictured moving towards the city.
Satellite images show Russian tanks and other vehicles heading towards Kyiv, while other aerial footage appears to reveal military equipment being stationed outside the capital.
The images from Maxar, which has been monitoring the invasion since the start, were taken close to Antonov Airport, just miles from the city.
A large military convoy can be seen travelling along the main road.
Images appear to show the infamous 40-mile "death convoy" of Russian vehicles stalled near Kyiv for almost two weeks has now "dispersed", as rocket artillery is moved into firing positions for an assault on the city.
On Friday, the UK Defence Ministry claimed Russia is likely to want to resume its offensive in Kyiv in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Maxar Technologies said Russian troops have been firing artillery toward residential areas as fresh imagery appears to show homes and buildings on fire in the village of Moschun just 17 miles from Kyiv.
But Ukraine remains defiant as officials say Kyiv is "ready to fight" as presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak branded it a "city undersiege" and confirmed checkpoints were prepared.
“Kyiv will stand until the end," he added.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian MP has said the fight for Kyiv will be Russia's new "Stalingrad if they want to make it so"
Speaking on BBC's Radio 4 Today programme, Sviatoslav Yurah said: "It's a massive town of millions and if the Russians try to come in they will have quite a fight on their hands - this will be their Stalingrad if they want to make it so.
"Nobody is going to surrender - I can definitely guarantee you that."
It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine has reached a "strategic turning point" in its conflict against Russia as he urged Ukrainians to be patient.
In a video message, Ukraine's president said: "I know that many people have started to feel tired. I understand. Impatient. I understand.
19
19
19
19
"This is life. When we mobilise, when we see our victories and the loss of the enemy on the battlefield, we expect the struggle to end sooner.
"We expect the invaders to fall faster. But this is life, this is war. This is a struggle. Time is still needed. Patience is still needed."
Zelensky insisted the country is moving towards "victory" as troops have reached a "turning point".
"It is impossible to say for how many more days we must liberate our Ukrainian land. But it is possible to say we will do it," he added.
"Because we have already reached a strategic turning point. We are already moving toward our goal, toward our victory."
And today he said the Russian army has suffered its largest losses in decades, claiming 31 battalion tactical groups have now been rendered incapable of combat.
In his latest video address, Zelensky said: "The Russian troops are suffering great losses. We could even now talk about the greatest blow to the Russian troops in tens of years."
It comes after a senior Moscow diplomat said Russia may target Western shipments of military equipment to Ukraine after Joe Biden warned of "World War Three".
Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia had warned the US that "pumping weapons from a number of countries it orchestrates isn’t just a dangerous move, it’s an action that makes those convoys legitimate targets".
The warning came after Biden personally halted plans to send MiG fighter jets from Poland to Ukraine, saying that a direct conflict between Russia and NATO would be catastrophic.
Biden that he would defend "every single inch" of the military alliance if needs be.
19
19
19
19
Poland offered its 28 twin-engine jet fighter aircraft to the US - but Biden blocked the offer, fearing it would lead to "World War Three".
Meanwhile, at least 1,582 civilians have been slaughtered in the besieged city Mariupol after 12 days of non-stop Russian bombardments, its council revealed.
Hundreds of thousands of people are trapped in Mariupol, including 3,000 babies and 50,000 children, according to city officials.
Fights have broken out for food as terrified residents cower in freezing, damp and overcrowded basements without electricity or running water.
Russian forces pounding the port city shelled a mosque sheltering more than 80 people, including children, the Ukrainian government said on Saturday.
There was no immediate word of casualties from the bombing.
Members of the Red Cross taking shelter in the city have told of the desperate situation as medicine and other supplies.
Writing on , one told how they have opened up the office to more than 60 people to keep them safe.
Read More on The Sun
"We keep the shelter, the basement, only for children and their mothers," they said
"All other adults and children above twelve they sleep in the office. It’s really cold. We still have some fuel for generators – so we have electricity for 3-4 hours a day.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"People report varying needs in medicine. Especially for diabetes and cancer patients.
"But there is no way to find it anymore in the city. People are getting sick already because of the cold."
All you need to know about Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Everything you need to know about Russia's invasion of Ukraine...
- Why is Russia invading Ukraine?
- Will the UK go to war?
- How can I join the Ukraine foreign legion?
- What can I do to help Ukraine?
- Who is Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy?
- How much gas does the UK get from Russia?
- Is Russia a part of Nato?
- Does ?
- Why is Ukraine not in Nato?
- How big is the Russian army?
- What is of the Nato treaty?
- What is the Minsk agreement?
- Which countries were in the Soviet Union?
- What does the Z mean on Russian tanks? Meaning behind symbols explained
Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund
PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine’s devastated towns and cities have moved Sun readers to tears.
Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun's Ukraine Fund.
Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded.
Donate to help The Sun's fund
Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles
£3 — text SUN£3
£5 — text SUN£5
£10 — text SUN£10
Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit
The Ukraine Crisis Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis.
In the unlikely event that the British Red Cross raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help them prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world.
For more information visit
Topics