According to the will of the Russian besiegers, the Ukrainian soldiers trapped in the Mariupol steelworks are not allowed to leave the premises.

The Russian military has rejected any proposal for the unhindered withdrawal of the besieged fighters from the Azovstal plant, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, according to Ukrajinska Pravda on Tuesday.

The head of state, meanwhile, praised the "superhuman strength" of the Ukrainian troops after successes at Kharkiv, but at the same time warned against letting "excessive emotions" arise over it.

"The defenders of Mariupol remain there, they continue resistance on the territory of Azovstal," Zelenskyy said.

Kyiv continues to use all available diplomatic means to enable the soldiers to be rescued.

Russia insists on surrender of Azovstal defenders.

Zelenskyj: I am grateful to all our protectors

Zelenskyi previously stated that Ukraine currently does not have the heavy weapons needed for a successful push to liberate Mariupol.

On Tuesday, the defenders reported heavy shelling by Russian troops.

The area had been attacked from the air all night long, the deputy commander of the Azov regiment, Svyatoslav Palamar, told Ukrayinska Pravda.

There are many seriously injured.

They urgently need to be brought to safety.

Most recently, several hundred civilians were evacuated from the site with the mediation of the UN and the Red Cross.

Contrary to recent reports about the complete evacuation of all civilians from the Mariupol plant, regional administrator Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Monday evening that there were still 100 people there who were not combatants.

Zelenskyy praised the courage and sacrifice of his country's troops in the fight against the Russian army.

"I am grateful to all our protectors who are defending themselves and showing truly superhuman strength to drive off the invaders' army," he said in his daily video address Tuesday night.

And that in the fight against the "once the second strongest army in the world".

Despite further successes on various fronts, Selenskyj did not want to let any euphoria arise.

"There is no need to create an atmosphere of specific moral pressure when certain victories are expected on a weekly and even daily basis," he warned.

The Ukrainian President referred to reports of success from his general staff, which reported on Tuesday about territory gains in the vicinity of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

The occupiers would be "gradually" expelled from the region.

According to the Ukrainian military, several towns were recaptured.

The information could not initially be verified independently.

"The Armed Forces of Ukraine are doing everything to liberate our country and our people," said Zelenskyy.

"All our cities will be liberated - Kherson, Melitopol, Berdyansk, Mariupol and all others."

US House of Representatives passes billions in aid package

The House of Representatives in Washington has approved an aid package for Ukraine requested by US President Joe Biden by billions of dollars and passed it by a large majority.

In the parliamentary chamber on Tuesday evening (local time), 368 MPs from both Biden's Democrats and the opposition Republicans voted for the bill.

The 57 votes against came from the ranks of Republicans.

The package is worth almost $40 billion (€38 billion).

The Senate still has to approve it.