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Photos: Mariupol evacuations fail as the U.S. agrees to more aid for Ukraine

NPR | By Marco Storel

Published April 18, 2022 at 3:35 PM EDT

<strong>April 20:</strong> Nadiya, 62, points to her destroyed home in the village of Moshchun, northwest of Kyiv, as more than 5 million Ukrainians have now fled their country following the Russian invasion, according to the United Nations. — **April 20:** Nadiya, 62, points to her destroyed home in the village of Moshchun, northwest of Kyiv, as more than 5 million Ukrainians have now fled their country following the Russian invasion, according to the United Nations.

Updated April 21, 2022 at 3:43 PM ET

Editor's note: Some of these images are graphic.

In the eighth week of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have largely focused their attention on the country's eastern Donbas region.

Their troops have reportedly taken control of the town of Kreminna in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region after weeks of bombardment. In Mariupol, Ukrainian forces are refusing to surrender, despite Russia's long and bloody siege.

Here's a look at the situation on the ground:

<strong>April 20:</strong> People pay their respects during a funeral in Kyiv's Independence Square for Ukrainian serviceman Volodymyr Karas, who died fighting Russian invaders. — **April 20:** People pay their respects during a funeral in Kyiv's Independence Square for Ukrainian serviceman Volodymyr Karas, who died fighting Russian invaders.

<strong>April 20:</strong> A rescue worker walks past a heavily damaged apartment building in Hostomel, Ukraine. Russian forces occupied Hostomel for weeks as part of their failed attempt to seize Kyiv. Their retreat revealed the scale of devastation in Hostomel and other towns outside the capital city. — **April 20:** A rescue worker walks past a heavily damaged apartment building in Hostomel, Ukraine. Russian forces occupied Hostomel for weeks as part of their failed attempt to seize Kyiv. Their retreat revealed the scale of devastation in Hostomel and other towns outside the capital city.

<strong>April 20:</strong> Svitlana and Andriy, a Ukrainian serviceman, celebrate their wedding in one of the few open cafes in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. The couple dated for a few years and planned a wedding in Kyiv, where they're both from, but had to change plans due to the war. — **April 20:** Svitlana and Andriy, a Ukrainian serviceman, celebrate their wedding in one of the few open cafes in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. The couple dated for a few years and planned a wedding in Kyiv, where they're both from, but had to change plans due to the war.

<strong>April 20:</strong> A sofa and other items that were dragged out of apartment units by Russian soldiers are seen strewn about an apartment complex's hallway in Hostomel, Ukraine. — **April 20:** A sofa and other items that were dragged out of apartment units by Russian soldiers are seen strewn about an apartment complex's hallway in Hostomel, Ukraine.

<strong>April 20:</strong> An aerial view shows the devastation in a residential area in the village of Moshchun, northwest of Kyiv. The United Nations reports more than 5 million Ukrainians have now fled their country following the Russian invasion. — **April 20:** An aerial view shows the devastation in a residential area in the village of Moshchun, northwest of Kyiv. The United Nations reports more than 5 million Ukrainians have now fled their country following the Russian invasion.

<strong>April 20:</strong> Children draw as they stand in a restaurant that was transformed into a shelter for those fleeing the war from the eastern region of the country in Dnipro, Ukraine. — **April 20:** Children draw as they stand in a restaurant that was transformed into a shelter for those fleeing the war from the eastern region of the country in Dnipro, Ukraine.

<strong>April 20:</strong> Residents of Mykolaiv, Ukraine, receive bottled water from a truck since there's been no running water for over a week. — **April 20:** Residents of Mykolaiv, Ukraine, receive bottled water from a truck since there's been no running water for over a week.

<strong>April 20:</strong> A Ukrainian Army truck stops at a war-damaged bridge in Bucha, Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers are busy reconnecting suburbs of Kiev more than a month after Russian troops invaded the area. — **April 20:** A Ukrainian Army truck stops at a war-damaged bridge in Bucha, Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers are busy reconnecting suburbs of Kiev more than a month after Russian troops invaded the area.

<strong>April 20:</strong> Natalia, 50, (right) greets her daughter Nadia (left) after she returned to her hometown of Bucha, Ukraine. She had evacuated to western Ukraine early in the conflict but later returned to widespread damage in the Kyiv suburb. — **April 20:** Natalia, 50, (right) greets her daughter Nadia (left) after she returned to her hometown of Bucha, Ukraine. She had evacuated to western Ukraine early in the conflict but later returned to widespread damage in the Kyiv suburb.

<strong>April 20:</strong> Vova, 10, looks at the body of his mother, Maryna, lying in a coffin as his father, Ivan Drahun, prays during her funeral in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, Ukraine. Maryna died as the family sheltered in a basement for more than a month amid Russia's occupation. — **April 20:** Vova, 10, looks at the body of his mother, Maryna, lying in a coffin as his father, Ivan Drahun, prays during her funeral in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, Ukraine. Maryna died as the family sheltered in a basement for more than a month amid Russia's occupation.

<strong>April 19:</strong> A man stands on top of destroyed Russian armored vehicles in Bucha. — **April 19:** A man stands on top of destroyed Russian armored vehicles in Bucha.

<strong>April 19:</strong> A member of Ukraine's security forces administers first aid to an injured man following Russian bombing of a factory in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine, that killed at least one person and injured three others. — **April 19:** A member of Ukraine's security forces administers first aid to an injured man following Russian bombing of a factory in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine, that killed at least one person and injured three others.

<strong>April 19:</strong> A Ukrainian flag flies over a damaged kindergarten that was bombed in Russia's invasion of Makariv, west of Kyiv. Neighbors said a single bomb struck the school at 5 a.m. on March 7 as Russian forces attacked the town, destroying much of the structure. No one was reported killed in the blast. — **April 19:** A Ukrainian flag flies over a damaged kindergarten that was bombed in Russia's invasion of Makariv, west of Kyiv. Neighbors said a single bomb struck the school at 5 a.m. on March 7 as Russian forces attacked the town, destroying much of the structure. No one was reported killed in the blast.

<strong>April 19:</strong> A sheep walks past an excavator clearing rubble at a bread factory that was bombed in Russia's invasion of Makariv, west of Kyiv. At least 13 people were reported killed in the bombing. — **April 19:** A sheep walks past an excavator clearing rubble at a bread factory that was bombed in Russia's invasion of Makariv, west of Kyiv. At least 13 people were reported killed in the bombing.

<strong>April 19:</strong> Volunteers distribute food in the village of Zalissya, northeast of Kyiv. — **April 19:** Volunteers distribute food in the village of Zalissya, northeast of Kyiv.

<strong>April 19: </strong>A car passes by a giant hole in a bridge in Makariv, in Ukraine's Kyiv Oblast. — **April 19:** A car passes by a giant hole in a bridge in Makariv, in Ukraine's Kyiv Oblast.

<strong>April 19:</strong> Tanya Los, 57, (left) and her husband, Valery, stand in their house near damage caused by a rocket that landed on Sunday and was believed to have been launched from a Soviet-era BM-27 Uragan launcher based on serial numbers, in the village of Mala Tomachka near the southern front of fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces, south of Zaporizhzhia. — **April 19:** Tanya Los, 57, (left) and her husband, Valery, stand in their house near damage caused by a rocket that landed on Sunday and was believed to have been launched from a Soviet-era BM-27 Uragan launcher based on serial numbers, in the village of Mala Tomachka near the southern front of fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces, south of Zaporizhzhia.

<strong>April 19:</strong> Debris lies in a war-damaged apartment in Makariv. Residents said the building was attacked by Russian tanks during the invasion in early March. — **April 19:** Debris lies in a war-damaged apartment in Makariv. Residents said the building was attacked by Russian tanks during the invasion in early March.

<strong>April 19:</strong> Members of a family fleeing Russian attacks in the city Melitopol stop in Orikhiv, near the southern front of fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces, south of Zaporizhzhia. — **April 19:** Members of a family fleeing Russian attacks in the city Melitopol stop in Orikhiv, near the southern front of fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces, south of Zaporizhzhia.

<strong>April 19:</strong> Three dug graves are ready for the next funerals at the cemetery in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv. — **April 19:** Three dug graves are ready for the next funerals at the cemetery in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv.

<strong>April 19:</strong> The body of a civilian killed in heavy shelling of a residential neighborhood lies next to a park bench in Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine. — **April 19:** The body of a civilian killed in heavy shelling of a residential neighborhood lies next to a park bench in Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine.

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