As Ukrainian forces hold off Russian advances, the roar of artillery remains relentless

Judy Woodruff:

Desperate attempts to evacuate the besieged city of Mariupol continue today, with the United Nations trying to strike a deal with Russian forces that would allow more than 100,000 civilians to leave the port city.

Fighting raged elsewhere in Ukraine's east. And, in the capital of Kyiv, rescuers took stock of a deadly missile strike that hit as the U.N. secretary-general visited last night.

Special correspondent Willem Marx reports.

Willem Marx:

In Ukraine's east, the roar of artillery remains relentless. Swirls of smoke stain the sky in the city of Lyman, now a part of the landscape.

At a nearby hospital, Tatiana receives treatment for her injuries. She says a missile struck her daughters home. The two of them survived, but her grandson did not. And she buried him with her own hands.

Tatiana Matsegora, Lyman, Ukraine Resident (through translator):

It's one thing to bury a child, but another thing to bury your grandson. He was only 14 years old. He asked me: "Grandma, will I live?" I said that he would live.

But I betrayed him. I will never forgive myself for it.

Willem Marx:

To the south, in Mariupol, more than 100,000 trapped residents unlikely to forgive their occupiers' onslaught. Ukraine said today it planned fresh evacuations from the Azovstal steel plant, the city's last Ukraine-held redoubt.

Inside the plant, a Ukrainian commander said he's now hopeful his troops can survive the siege.

Sviatoslav Palamar, Deputy Commander, Azov Regiment (through translator):

I really believe that all the defenders of Mariupol, the troops that remained here, the wounded and those alive, that we will be able to save the lives of these heroes. I have hope that we will be able to get as many guys out of here alive.

Willem Marx:

But there are few signs of life elsewhere in the city, the local history museum reduced to rubble. It survived the Second World War, but now stands as a grim reminder of Putin's invasion.

The U.S. says the Kremlin seeks to surround Ukrainian forces in the Donbass region, advancing north from Mariupol and south from Izyum. But one senior U.S. defense official today said they believe that Russian advance is now days behind schedule.

In Ukraine's capital meanwhile, missiles yesterday demolished more homes.

Liudmyla, Kyiv Resident (through translator):

They killed so many people. It is really difficult.

Willem Marx:

Among the remnants, rescue workers carried out the body of journalist Vira Hyrych. She worked for the U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

In Irpin, just to Kyiv's northwest, drone video above block after block of devastation, once home to 62,000 residents, the former battlefield now a ghost town after Russian forces withdrew in late March.

Those missiles in Kyiv, Judy, a reminder these strikes can still happen anywhere any time inside Ukraine. But as our teams experienced firsthand over the past couple of days, by far, the heaviest firepower is trained on the country's south and east.

A couple days ago, two hours' drive southeast from here in Dnipro, the town we were visiting was rocked by dozens of explosions each and every hour. Today, three hours' drive due east of here, we met a Ukrainian soldier injured in an artillery strike who told us it was one of around 100 shells to have darkened the sky over the course of the day over his single unit — Judy.

Judy Woodruff:

Willem Marx in Ukraine, we thank you.