A residential building in Makariv, Ukraine, destroyed by Russian shelling on March 16. Photo: Mohammad Javad Abjoushak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Ukrainian officials said Tuesday their troops have driven Russian forces out of the strategically important town of Makariv, near Kyiv.
Why it matters: If Ukrainian forces are confirmed to have retaken Makariv, some 30 miles west of Kyiv, it would prevent Russian troops from surrounding Ukraine's capital from the northwest, per AP.
- Russian forces also face being blocked from crossing the Kyiv region's Irpin River and capturing Kyiv from the west due to growing flooding in the area, according to new satellite images.
The big picture: As Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters a 27th day and Russian President Vladimir Putin's battlefield plan stalls, its military is escalating air and sea campaigns in order to try and end the setbacks, per the New York Times.
- President Biden confirmed Monday that Russia has used a hypersonic missile in Ukraine, though he and the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense said the weapon was unlikely to materially affect the progress of Russia's invasion.
Meanwhile, the Russian military's assault on Mariupol showed no signs of abating, with civilians who've fled the besieged southern port city "describing relentless bombardments and corpses lying in the streets," AP notes.
The big picture: Ukraine needs an "international Marshall Plan" to deal with the consequences of Russia's invasion, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said in a speech to the Bundestag Tuesday, according to Reuters.
- Multiple Ukrainian cities, especially Mariupol, which was once home to around 430,000 people, have been devastated by Russian forces.
Go deeper: Biden warns Russia "exploring options" for cyberattacks