Amid diplomacy, Russian forces try to crush Ukraine defenses
Russia's military forces bombarded Ukraine's capital region and other major cities on Wednesday, attempting to crush a Ukrainian defense that has stymied their progress nearly three weeks after they invaded. With Russia's ground advance on Kyiv stalled despite sustained bombardment, there was a glimmer of hope that talks between the two sides could progress. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that talks would continue and that Russia's demands for a cease-fire were becoming "more realistic." Russia rained shells on Kyiv and its environs, where a building erupted in flames after being hit by shrapnel. According to Zelenskyy, Russian forces were unable to move deeper into Ukrainian territory but continued to shell cities heavily. British and American intelligence assessments backed up the Ukrainian leader's assessment of the fighting.
"Efforts and patience are still required," he said in his nightly video address to the nation. "Every war concludes with an agreement." According to a senior US defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, the Russians are increasingly using long-range fire to hit civilian targets inside Kyiv, but their ground forces are making little to no progress throughout the country. According to the official, Russian troops were still about 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the capital's centre. In a rare speech to the US Congress by a foreign leader, Zelenskyy was preparing to make a direct appeal for more assistance on Wednesday. Meanwhile, NATO defense ministers were scheduled to meet in Brussels on Wednesday.