Although the Ukrainian army reported little to no Russian offensive around Kiev and parts of the south on Saturday, the war in the east continued to be fierce.
Emergency services say two children have been killed in the city of Rubisne after being pulled from the rubble of a residential building destroyed by Russian artillery fire.
A woman also died when the same building collapsed; Her daughter survived and was in stable condition.
Some context: Rubizhne is part of a collection of small towns and villages that remain in Ukrainian hands, but are close to two pro-Russian states within eastern Ukraine.
The most recent assessment of the Ukrainian military’s war makes it clear that they are seen as the current focus of Russia’s campaign in the east – to link the two forts around Luhansk and Donetsk with the regional gains made in the northwest around the Kharkiv region.
Saturday’s daily update from the army’s central command – released in the afternoon – announced a series of Russian attacks that “focused on efforts to capture Chevroletonetsk, Rubisne and Bopasna.”
More Death and Destruction: On Friday, local Ukrainian officials said four people were killed and ten wounded when Russian artillery fired across a series of communities in the region.
A total of 54 buildings were attacked, including 19 apartments and two health centers, said regional leader Serhi Haidai.
23 cities and villages were without gas supply and 26 cities were without electricity.
Haidoi said the 700 people evacuated through a humanitarian corridor on Saturday included many of those injured in recent days.
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