Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis grows

In the port city of Mariupol, incessant shelling stopped residents from picking up the wounded from the streets and their homes. Ukraine’s government said more than 2,000 civilians have died as the invasion entered its eighth day. Filippo Grandi, head of the United Nation’s refugee agency, said more than 1 million refugees have fled Ukraine in what the agency has called the fastest refugee exodus this century.

Has Russia made any more advances? Russian forces have encircled Mariupol and claimed to have total control of another port city of Kherson. But officials said the claim over the city, which would be the biggest to fall to Russia so far, is still contested. A Russian military convoy stalled 16 miles from Kyiv amid reports of fuel and food shortages. Russia said it lost 498 soldiers and another 1,597 sustained injuries in its first casualty report. Russia and Ukraine are set to enter a second round of talks, although Russia has not shown any real interest in negotiating for peace.

Dig deeper: Read Eric Patterson’s commentary in WORLD Opinions on religious freedom in Ukraine.