Russia Steps up Attacks on Mariupol Steel Plant

Russian forces are attempting to storm the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, according to Ukrainian fighters. Meanwhile, Slovakia wants to be exempt from any planned EU embargo on Russian oil.

Kyiv says Russian troops are attempting to advance on Ukrainian forces stationed in the eastern Donbas region to encircle them.

Ukraine's General Staff on Tuesday reported that, "the occupiers moved batteries of Tyulpan heavy mortars of 240-millimeter caliber and Smerch rocket launchers from the Belgorod region to the Izyum area," to assist armored and infantry units and paratroopers who attacked targets between Izyum and Barvenkov.

Ukrainian military reports said Russian troops also attacked several other towns while advancing toward Lyman-Siversk and Slovyansk.

The General Staff said Russian forces had suffered losses but gave no indication of whether they had captured territory.

After failing to quickly capitalize on original incursions into Ukraine from the north, south and east, Russia's military has increasingly turned its attention to taking the Donbas, though territorial gains in the disputed region have been meager.