Russia's Assault Intensifies As It Nears Kyiv

Russian Troops ‘25km From City Centre’; Zelensky Says 1,300 Ukrainian Soldiers Killed In Invasion

Conflict raged near Kyivon Saturday and Ukrai-nian officials said heavy shelling and threats of Russian air attacks were endangering attempted evacuations of desperate civilians from encircled towns and cities elsewhere. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was sending in new troops after Ukrainian forces had put 31 of its battalion tactical groups out of action in what he called Russia’s largest army losses in decades. He said 500600 Russian troops had surrendered on Friday alone and that about 1,300 Ukrainian troops had been killed since the conflict began. It was not possible to verify his statements.