Russia is attempting to increase the tempo of its offensive in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine’s defence ministry has said.
According to officials, Russian forces carried out nearly 50 airstrikes on Tuesday.
The governor of Donetsk in the eastern Donbas region that has become the focus of Russia’s campaign said attacks in Donetsk killed 21 on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has told the European parliament that “Putin must pay a price, a high price, for his brutal aggression” as the EU proposed a phased oil embargo on Russia.
President Von der Leyen told the chamber in Strasbourg: “Today, we will propose to ban all Russian oil from Europe”, as she also pledged to minimise the impact on European economies.
Other measures include sanctions on its top bank, Sberbank, and a ban on Russian broadcasters from European airwaves.
The EU’s sixth round of sanctions, if agreed by member states, would be a watershed for the world’s largest trading bloc, which is dependent on Russian oil and gas and must find alternative supplies just as energy prices are spiking.
