Kyiv Rejects Requests That Mariupol Be Janded Over
On Monday, Ukraine rejected Russian demands that it surrender Mariupol, the besieged port city at the center of a violent stalemate that is fuelling a horrific humanitarian crisis.
After Moscow promised to allow civilians trapped amid the bombardment without water, heat, or medicine to flee if the city's defenders laid down their arms, Kyiv rejected the demand to surrender the city by 5 a.m. local time (11 p.m. ET).
With their progress seemingly coming to a standstill elsewhere and their campaign moving to escalating aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities, capturing control of the vital city would be a big and unusual triumph for Russian forces.
At least eight people were killed and a retail mall was destroyed in a new attack on Kyiv on Sunday night, according to Ukrainian officials. An official death toll has yet to be established.
President Joe Biden will go to Europe this week as the US and its allies seek to strengthen Ukraine while punishing Russia for its incursion. The trip will include a stop in Poland, a NATO partner located near Ukraine, according to the White House.