In Pictures

Photos: Russian shelling batters encircled Ukrainian towns

Russia said its forces were carrying out a wide-ranging offensive in Ukraine and had taken several towns and villages.

People cross on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian air raid while fleeing the town of Irpin. [Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo]

By AP

Civilians across war-hit Ukraine fled on footpaths and grief-stricken parents mourned dead children as Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities.

A promised ceasefire in the port city of Mariupol collapsed on Saturday amid scenes of terror in the besieged town, while on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, a stream of residents with pets and children crossed the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge destroyed by a Russian air raid.

Kyiv’s central train station remained crowded with people desperate to flee. “People just want to live,” one woman, Ksenia, said.

Eleven days into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, nearly 1.5 million people have fled the battered country, according to the United Nations.

The death toll in the conflict has been difficult to measure. The UN human rights office says at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed since the February 24 invasion, but the true number is probably much higher.

A Ukrainian soldier and a militia man help a fleeing family crossing the Irpin River in the outskirts of Kyiv — A Ukrainian soldier and a militiaman help a fleeing family cross the Irpin River on the outskirts of Kyiv. [Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo]

A woman holds a dog while crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike — A woman holds a dog while crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge destroyed by a Russian air raid. [Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo]

Ukrainian soldiers drive on an armored military vehicle in the outskirts of Kyiv — Ukrainian soldiers drive on an armoured military vehicle on the outskirts of Kyiv. [Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo]

A woman weeps after finding a friend, who also fled Ukraine, at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland. [Markus Schreiber/AP Photo]

Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee across the Irpin River in the outskirts of Kyiv — Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee across the Irpin River. [Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo]

Ukrainian civilians receive weapons training inside a cinema in Lviv, western Ukraine. The government has ordered men between the ages of 18 and 60 to stay and be available to fight. [Felipe Dana/AP Photo]

People lie on the floor of a hospital during shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol. [Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo]

Injured Ukrainian men gather after crossing the Irpin River fleeing the area in the outskirts of Kyiv — Injured Ukrainian men gather after crossing the Irpin River fleeing the area. [Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo]

People, mostly women and children, try to get onto a train bound for Lviv, at the Kyiv railway station. [Andriy Dubchak/AP Photo]

Ukrainian servicemen carry a baby stroller after crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike — Ukrainian servicemen carry a baby stroller after crossing the Irpin River. [Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo]

Medical workers unsuccessfully try to save the life of Marina Yatsko's 18 month-old son Kirill — Medical workers unsuccessfully try to save the life of Marina Yatsko's 18-month-old son Kirill, who was fatally wounded by shelling. [Evgeniy Maloletka/AP Photo]