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>> The Russian offensive in
eastern Ukraine took shape
today, as Moscow pushed more
troops into the "Donbas" region
against dug-in Ukrainian forces.
The U.S. Says it believes this
latest Russian action is a
prelude to an even larger
offensive to come, and president
Biden said more artillery would
be sent to Ukraine, on top of
what the U.S. Pledged last week.
Meantime, the united nations
secretary general called for a
four-day truce to observe
orthodox Easter, celebrated in
both Ukraine and Russia, and to
get aid to desperate people
suffering under the Russian
onslaught.
Stephanie sy begins our
coverage.
>> As air raid sirens blare,
those who remain in sloviansk a
city in the donbas go about
their day.
Many have already left, but
coffee shop owner Ivan chose to
stay.
His faith in the Ukrainian army,
unshaken.
>> We were actually prepared for
this. We believe in our army
and our victory, and that the
combat operations won't reach
sloviansk. We will stay here
till the very last moment.
>> While those combat operations
have not yet struck sloviansk, a
Russian missile attack less than
10 miles away in kramatorsk
killed at least one person
today.
It's part of Russia's fresh
offensive to seize the donbas
region in eastern Ukraine an
area moscow-backed separatists
have been trying to capture for
the past 8 years.
As the assault unfolded
overnight, president volodymyr
zelenskyy remained defiant.
>> No matter how many Russian
soldiers are driven there, we
will fight. We will defend
ourselves.
>> Local officials have urged
residents to evacuate, but for
the third day in a row no
agreement was struck to open
humanitarian corridors.
In this front-line village, the
vulnerable and elderly bear the
brunt of the hardship. Gregory
is being evacuated by workers at
his *hospice*.
Too weak to move by himself, he
thanks those who helped him
escape.
>> The main difficulty is that
people that can't move, had to
be evacuated. Very ill people,
who are living their final days
or weeks or months
>> In the first day of Russia's
new assault, Russian forces have
taken full control of kreminna a
sign Moscow is planning a larger
offensive in the donbas region.
But a senior U.S defense
official today said the key port
city of mariupol is still
contested, and Ukrainian
soldiers are not willing to give
it up.
Officials said today Russia is
still bombarding the city's
azovstal steel plant where the
last Ukrainian defenders are
holding out. They have refused
another Russian call to
surrender.
Inside the plant, Ukraine says
no fewer than 1,000 civilians
are also hiding. Video released
by the Ukrainian military shows
women and children reportedly
sheltering underground. They
say food supplies are dwindling,
but they're afraid to leave.
>> My youngest child cries at
everything he and the oldest one
are starting to get depression.
It's been really frightening
lately even to go out of the
bunker to use the toilet."
>> Russia's defense ministry
said today it struck over 1,000
military targets across Ukraine,
but civilian areas are not
spared.
Last Saturday, a Russian rocket
barrage hit a residential area
of kharkiv. The attack also
destroyed facilities being used
by the world central kitchen, a
non-profit that's provided
millions of meals for Ukrainians
that can't leave.
>> As you can see, tremendous
amount of damage -
a day after the assault, Nate
Mook, the non-profit's CEO, gave
an inside look at the wreckage.
He said four of his staff were
wounded. I spoke with him today.
>> There was just complete
carnage. Pieces of cars were in
trees.
There's definitely been an
increase in the attacks here in
kharkiv even last night. It was
constant shelling all throughout
the night. You're just hearing
the booms, the booms, they shake
you inside.
>> The organization has already
set up at a different kitchen in
kharkiv so it can continue its
mission this one is underground.
>> There are still a lot of
people here stuck here and in
many cases, unable to leave
because of mobility issues. They
don't have vehicles, they don't
have money to do so.
In these villages and towns all
around kharkiv, the world
central kitchen team, our local
partners are a critical lifeline
to families in these communities
>> So even after this carnage
that you witnessed right next to
one of your operating
restaurants still not shaken
from your mission?
>> What keeps me going is all of
the Ukrainians that I'm
surrounded by their strength and
resilience to keep going. The
fact that some of those injured
staff told me they are ready to
jump right back in and get back
to work, that really keeps us
going
>> Meanwhile in the capital,
Kyiv residents line up to get
their hands on a new stamp that
shows a Ukrainian soldier
flipping off a Russian warship.
It depicts a moment of defiance
from earlier in the war and a
Russian ship that Ukrainians
apparently sunk last week; the
confidence of those moments has
persisted.
>> I've got the feeling that we
are going to win. I don't know
why but this feeling doesn't go
away. The feeling that we will
get our victory.