Kharkiv, Ukraine's 2nd Largest City, Hit By Shelling. Russian Forces Increase Use Of Heavy Artillery: Reports

New Delhi: The Central square of Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, has been shelled, the governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Oleh Vasylovych Synyehubov, said Tuesday, news agency AFP reported.

The distance between Kharkiv Oblast and Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, is almost 480 kilometres. 

#BREAKING Central square of Ukraine's second city, Kharkiv, shelled: governor pic.twitter.com/Fv1CBzmGbF

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 1, 2022

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence said Tuesday that Russian forces have increased their use of artillery north of Kyiv and in the vicinities of Kharkiv & Chernihiv.

The Defence Intelligence (DI), an integral part of the Ministry of Defence, on Tuesday shared the latest intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine. 

Latest Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/1Ynzlps2dY

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 1, 2022

As per the update shared on Twitter by the Ministry of Defence, the Russian advance on Kyiv has made little progress over the past 24 hours probably as a result of continuing logistical difficulties.

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The update stated that Russia has failed to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine, prompting a shift to night operations in an attempt to reduce their losses.

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Amid increasing fears that Russian invading forces were set to launch devastating assaults aimed at taking control of Ukraine’s capital and other major cities, a huge Russian military convoy was seen massing on the outskirts of Kyiv, AFP reported.

Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies showed a long build-up of armoured vehicles and artillery starting 29 kilometres north of Kyiv.

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Russia shelled residential areas in Kharkiv and other areas of the country, after ceasefire talks between Moscow and Kyiv on Monday failed to secure a breakthrough, AFP reported.