Ukraine conflict: Ministry of Defence says Russian forces "have made minimal progress” this week

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said in its latest update on Ukraine that Russian forces "have made minimal progress this week".

"Russian forces have made minimal progress this week," the MoD tweeted.

"Ukrainian forces around Kyiv and Mykolaiv continue to frustrate Russian attempts to encircle the cities. The cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mariupol remain encircled and subject to heavy Russian shelling.

"The UN now states that the number of refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine has already surpassed 3.2 million. This number will continue to rise as a result of ongoing Russian aggression."

Putin’s forces pressed their assault on Ukrainian cities on Friday, hitting a building near a western city's airport with missiles.

Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi said on Telegram that several missiles hit a facility used to repair military aircraft and damaged a bus repair facility, though no casualties were immediately reported.

Smoke could be seen rising from the western part of the capital Kyiv after an early morning barrage on Friday. There were no immediate reports of casualties or what had been damaged.

Russian army tanks move down a street on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, March 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)

In Merefa, near the north-east city of Kharkiv, at least 21 people were killed when Russian artillery destroyed a school and a community centre, a local official said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that American officials were evaluating potential war crimes and that if the intentional targeting of civilians by Russia is confirmed, there will be "massive consequences"

The United Nations political chief Rosemary DiCarlo, also called for an investigation into civilian casualties, reminding the UN Security Council on Thursday that international humanitarian law bans direct attacks on civilians.