“We Would Rather Die Than Kneel”: Kyiv Mayor Says Russians Pushed Back

Kyiv: Ukrainian forces have pushed back Russian troops in several regions around Kyiv, the city mayor said on Wednesday, vowing to defend each building rather than surrendering the capital.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said there was a barrel that went berserk in the north and eastern suburbs of the city, and that “the small town of Makariv and almost all Irpin had been under the control of the Ukrainian army”.

Irpin Borders Kyiv to the east, and Makariv is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) to the west.

Fierce exchanges from the artillery fire occurred in Irpin and Lyutizh to North Kyiv, with a fairly large activity behind the front line at Irpin, AFP journalist said.

A Ukrainian news agency spoke about the possibility of the siege of Russian forces in Irpin, and Bucha and hostomel, located on the western suburbs of Kyiv.

Klitschko said he did not have more detailed information about the ongoing counter-counterofensives of Uchinian.

Russian troops quickly pushed to the outskirts of Kyiv after attacking the country on February 24, but their efforts to surround and enter the city had failed.

“The aggressor’s target is the capital of Ukraine … because this city is the heart of the country,” Former Boxing Champion Klitschko said at a press conference in a city park overlooking the Dnipro River.

He urged the Russian army to return home and said Ukraine was ready to defend the Kyiv building by building.

“We better die than kneeling in front of Russia or surrendering to the invaders,” Klitschko said.

“We are ready to fight for each building, every way, every part of our city.”

A residential environment in northwest Kyiv was under Wednesday morning bombardment, with several broken buildings and four people were injured.

A calculation stored by city authorities put civil death in the capital at 73, including four children, since the commencement of the invasion. 297 others have been injured.

Ukrainian capital has been under the curfew since the beginning of the week. Klitschko said the move was needed because of information from the military about the possibility of an attack.