Thousands are desperately trying to flee Ukraine's eastern Donbas region as Russia intensifies its strikes on the south and east of the country. The Luhansk regional governor has urged civilians to "evacuate while it is safe," predicting a larger Russian assault to come.
The EU and U.S. are preparing to levy new sanctions on Russia after evidence emerged of potential war crimes committed by Russian forces in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, where some 300 civilian bodies were found on streets and in mass graves.
The sanctions from the EU will include a ban on Russian coal imports, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, which are worth $4 billion annually. The move is significant for the EU, which imported nearly 20% of its coal from Russia in 2020. Some still say this isn't enough, as the EU continues to buy oil and gas from Russia, providing it with billions of dollars weekly.
Meanwhile, fighting and Russia airstrikes continue in the besieged eastern city of Mariupol, where aid agencies say the humanitarian crisis is worsening as some 160,000 residents have no access to water, power, heating or communication.