Distressing photos show a Ukrainian couple weeping over their dead toddler’s body as the Russian army shelled the city of Mariupol on Friday.
Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor grieved over the death of their 18-month-old baby boy Kirill, who was killed after Vladimir Putin’s forces shelled a hospital.
Other pictures show medical workers attempting to save the baby boy’s life.
The images, taken by an Associated Press photographer, lay bare the devastation wreaked by the Russian army in residential areas.
More than 2,000 civilians have died so far during the conflict, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Mr Putin’s forces were on Saturday accused of breaching a ceasefire in the southeastern port city just hours after agreeing to let civilians flee.
Russian forces reportedly began shelling areas in the “green corridor” established for civilians to leave, with authorities forced to pause the evacuation to ensure their safety.
Residents were instead urged by the city council to return to their homes and seek shelter.
Mariupol has been completely cut off by Russian troops and locals have endured days of no electricity, water or sanitation.
Mr Putin’s forces also breached a ceasefire deal in Volnovakha as well, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters.
“We ask the people in Mariupol to head for the shelter, there will be more information on the evacuation asap,” a statement said.
“Due to the fact that the Russian side is not sticking to the ceasefire and continues to shoot Mariupol itself and the outskirts, the evacuation has been postponed.”
The United Nations said on Saturday that the majority of the civilian casualties during the invasion have been caused by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, as well as from missile and air strikes.
The agency’s monitoring mission said at least 351 civilians were confirmed dead but that the UN believes “that the real figures are considerably higher, especially in Government-controlled territory”.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said battles involving airstrikes and artillery continued northwest of Kyiv.
He said the northeastern cities of Kharkiv and Okhtyrka also came under heavy fire but that Ukrainian forces still held the northern city of Chernihiv and the southern city of Mykolaiv.
