Russians close in …but talks offer glimmer of hope

RUSSIAN troops closed in on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv yesterday as its besieged defenders braced for a major assault.

But there was a glimmer of hope as negotiators seeking a peace deal discussed ‘concrete’ proposals for the first time, President Zelensky said.

The possible breakthrough came as the invading Russians advanced to within 15 miles of Kyiv.

Across the country, the Kremlin’s military continued to bombard towns and cities, striking a cancer hospital and a mosque.

But Ukraine’s president said officials have begun discussing ‘concrete’ proposals rather than ‘exchanging ultimatums’.

Speaking from Kyiv, President Zelensky also invited Russia’s President Putin to engage in face-to-face talks, designed to end the 18-day conflict.

He suggested that the talks could take place in Jerusalem, with Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett acting as mediator.

The offer of dialogue followed a 75-minute phone call between President Putin, France’s President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about how to end the war.

Russia may be negotiating but it is also increasing its military activity around Kyiv, triggering fears of a significant offensive this week.

Satellite images identified Russian artillery units and tanks moving into attack formations, and ground troops edging closer to the city centre.

Last night, the UK’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that Russia was stepping up its attempts to encircle Kyiv and that the ‘bulk’ of its forces were in position.

Russian units which had previously belonged to a 40-mile convoy that ground to a halt north of the city have since fanned out around the city. But in spite of the arsenal bearing down on them, Ukrainian troops manning checkpoints in the city’s suburbs issued a chilling warning.

Yuri Shevchuk, a military volunteer, said: ‘I want to say to all the Russians, all the streets, houses, entrances, roofs and basements will be obstacles for you and ambush points for us.’

The former sign-maker, who has taken up arms to defend the city, added yesterday: ‘Kyiv will be a cemetery for them. I don’t advise the Russian invaders to try and penetrate Kyiv because all they will receive is a mass grave.’

Elsewhere, Russia maintained its onslaught of Ukraine’s southern cities, killing more civilians. The southern city of Mariupol remained besieged last night, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without food, water and electricity in very cold weather.

Mykolaiv in south-west Ukraine was also under heavy bombardment, with shells hitting an ambulance station yesterday. There were also artillery and air attacks on Dnipro and Kropyvnytskyi.

In Melitopol, the first city to fall to the Russians, thousands of protesters confronted occupying troops after the city’s mayor was abducted. Unconfirmed videos captured the moment Ivan Fedorov was led away blindfolded. Apparently, he had ‘failed to cooperate’ with the Russians.

Attacks on civilian areas since the invasion began have killed thousands of civilians while, as President Zelensky admitted for the first time yesterday, 1,300 Ukrainian troops have been killed. The president had not previously revealed any Ukrainian estimates of their own casualties.

Russia is thought to have lost 6,000 soldiers, according to Western intelligence reports.

The invading troops are also ‘stretched to their elastic limit’, a former RAF commander said yesterday. Air Marshal Edward Stringer suggested Russia’s campaign was reaching its capacity and President Putin’s objectives were ‘a bridge too far’.

‘Kyiv will be a cemetery for the Russian invaders’