According to information from Kyiv, the Russian army has launched the expected large-scale attack in the east of Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message on Monday evening: "We can now state that Russian troops have started the battle for Donbass, for which they have been preparing for a long time."

The head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said: "Donbass: The second phase of the war has begun, but I tell you, believe in the armed forces of Ukraine." The General Staff in Kyiv had also reported "signs" of an offensive.

There was initially no confirmation from the Russian side.

According to Zelenskyy, “a very large part” of the Russian army is concentrated in the east for the offensive.

Ukraine will oppose this.

"No matter how many Russian troops are driven there, we will fight," the president assured.

You will defend yourself and give up nothing.

No rocket attack has fundamentally improved the situation for Russia, Zelenskyj said.

"And if we evaluate them all together, we conclude that they are strategic nonsense."

Attacks on Mariupol and Kharkiv

In the meantime, the situation in the besieged port city of Mariupol in south-eastern Ukraine is getting worse.

The regiment "Azov" demanded the creation of a separate corridor for the evacuation of civilians.

Commander Denys Prokopenko said in a video message that the Asovstal steelworks site was being attacked by Russian troops with artillery, bunker-busting bombs and rockets.

Mariupol has been surrounded by Russian troops since March 1st and is almost completely conquered.

More than 100,000 civilians are said to remain in the largely destroyed city.

According to Ukrainian sources, three people were killed and 15 injured in the shelling of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

"The shells fell right in front of houses, on children's playgrounds and near humanitarian aid centers," Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on Monday evening.

He accused the Russian army of attacking civilians.

The information could not initially be checked independently.

Suspected rocket hits were reported from the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv in the evening.

“Several explosions occurred in Mykolaiv.

We are in the process of examining the situation," Mayor Olexander Senkevych said.

Klitschko does not give the all-clear for Kyiv

According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv is still threatened by Russian attacks.

"Kyiv was and remains a target of the aggressor," Klitschko said via telegram on Monday evening.

He strongly advises the residents of the metropolis who have fled to stay in a safer place.

"Based on the military data and recent developments, we cannot rule out that Kyiv is still threatened by rocket attacks," said Klitschko.

Bullets were recently fired at some districts.

"Therefore we cannot guarantee security in the city." There are still many checkpoints in Kyiv and there is also a night curfew.

Putin honors Bucha soldiers

After the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian city of Bucha, President Vladimir Putin honored soldiers who served there.

The Kremlin chief paid tribute to the 64th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Moscow on Monday for special merits, heroism and bravery, the Kremlin said.

The images of slain Ukrainian civilians from the suburbs of the capital Kyiv caused horror around the world earlier this month.

A total of more than 400 bodies were found in Bucha, some with their hands tied behind their backs.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy handed over the completed questionnaire for his country's EU accession to the European Union.

This was announced by the EU ambassador in Kyiv, Matti Maasikas, on Monday evening.

The diplomat from Estonia spoke on Twitter of a "further step by Ukraine on the way to the EU".

Selenskyj himself spoke of a "historic event".

"And we expect the European response to be swift," he said.

USA fly in heavy weapons

The first shipments of arms from the new US military aid package have reached Ukraine's borders.

A senior US Department of Defense official said four planes delivered military equipment on Sunday.

A fifth will follow shortly.

The White House announced the new military aid in the amount of 800 million dollars (around 737 million euros) on Wednesday.

The aid package includes 18 155mm howitzers, 200 M113 armored personnel carriers, 11 Mi-17 helicopters, 100 other armored vehicles and artillery ammunition.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said US troops stationed on NATO's eastern flank should begin training Ukrainian military personnel in the use of 155mm howitzers "within the next few days".

The US is delivering these weapons to Ukraine for the first time.

The 155 mm howitzers are the most modern version of this type of weapon.

Ukraine not on Biden's itinerary for the time being

US President Joe Biden is not currently planning a visit to Ukraine, despite an appeal from his Ukrainian colleague Zelenskyy.

There are no such plans, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in Washington on Monday.

The focus is on sending military equipment to Ukraine.

If a member of the government travels to Ukraine, this will only be communicated after arrival for security reasons.

Selenskyj had called on Biden to personally get an idea of ​​the situation after more than seven weeks of war.

Biden wants to discuss further action in Ukraine and Russia in a video conference this Tuesday afternoon with allies.