‘Constant shelling’ as Russian forces lay siege to key Ukrainian cities

A member of the territorial defence forces of Ukraine stands inside the damaged Kharkiv regional administration building in the aftermath of an attack. Photograph: Sergey Kozlov/EPA

Russian forces in Ukraine moved on Wednesday to tighten their siege of key cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and the southern port of Mariupol, as one mayor told residents he had been given an ultimatum to surrender or the city would be razed by shelling.

At an outdoor meeting, Artem Semenikhin, the mayor of Konotop, in the eastern Sumy region, told residents: “They have given us an ultimatum. If we start resisting, they’ll wipe out the town using artillery.”