Live updates: Russia invades Ukraine, Mariupol attacked from Sea of Azov

Ukrainian forces have been making an attempt in the previous couple of days to regain territory from the Russians, in response to a senior US protection official, who described them as “in a position and keen” to take action.

Here is the state of affairs on the bottom:

Counterattacks close to the capital: A Ukrainian counterattack north and west of Kyiv appeared to have made some headway, jeopardizing Russian efforts to encircle the capital and threatening the flexibility of Russian forces to resupply the ahead items which can be uncovered to the north of the town.  

Makariv: One such space is Makariv, a strategic city 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Kyiv. After days of preventing, Ukrainian forces regained management of the city, the Armed Forces of Ukraine mentioned in a Fb publish Tuesday. CNN couldn’t verify the declare. Makariv had sustained vital injury from ongoing Russian airstrikes, with video displaying widespread devastation. If Ukrainian forces consolidate their management of Makariv, it will turn out to be tougher for Russian forces to safe the western approaches to Kyiv after which push additional south.

North of Kyiv: There are additionally indications that Russian forces have suffered setbacks to the north of Kyiv in areas they’ve held nearly for the reason that starting of the invasion. A temporary video geolocated by CNN confirmed Ukrainian troops strolling within the city of Moschun, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) north of the capital. Ukrainian drone video geolocated through the weekend confirmed the destruction of Russian armor in the identical space.  

Flooding of Irpin River: Satellite tv for pc photographs from Monday confirmed rising flooding from the Irpin River. CNN beforehand reported {that a} dam alongside the Dnieper River was flooding the Irpin River basin and its tributaries. The river is essential to the Russian advance towards Kyiv; if the Russians can’t cross it, they cannot take Kyiv from the west. It is unclear how the dam started flooding: whether or not the gates had been opened on goal by the Ukrainians, or it was hit by a army strike. 

Borodyanka: Some 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of Makariv is the city of Borodyanka, which has been held by Russian and Chechen forces since early within the marketing campaign. If the Ukrainians had been to take Borodyanka, ahead Russian items could possibly be minimize off. The battlefield is fluid, and the Russians might reverse latest losses. But when the Ukrainians maintain Makariv and lengthen their management over the world, Russian positions between the city and Kyiv would turn out to be susceptible, additional impeding their objective of pushing south past the primary east-west freeway to encircle the capital.

Kherson and Mykolaiv: A senior US protection official mentioned Ukrainians are preventing to take again the southern metropolis of Kherson, in addition to pushing Russian forces from the northeast of Mykolaiv, forcing them to reposition south of the town. The official cautioned that the US can’t say whether or not these strikes are a part of a “bigger operational plan” by the Ukrainians or not, however referred to as the Ukrainian protection “nimble” and “agile.”