Russia-Ukraine live updates: Civilian toll mounts in Ukraine as world leaders raise question of possible war crimes

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MUKACHEVO, Ukraine — U.S. officials have seen “credible reports” of intentional Russian attacks on civilians, and are documenting actions that would constitute a war crime, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday.

“We’ve seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime,” Blinken said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We’ve seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons.”

The remarks come as the civilian toll climbs, and as other world leaders have also raised questions about possible war crimes in Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine.

A total of 364 civilians have been killed and 759 injured since fighting began on Feb. 24, according to the U.N. human rights office. Meanwhile, efforts to safely evacuate civilians from certain battle zones were thwarted because of Russian shelling that once again stymied a temporary cease-fire, Ukrainian officials said.

In the southern city of Mariupol, local officials said getting people out safely was impossible after two rescue efforts collapsed in less than 24 hours, trapping more than 200,000 residents in areas under fire, according to one tally from the International Committee of the Red Cross. In Irpin, a town outside Kyiv, the capital, some trying to flee the violence died in an explosion, visuals verified by The Washington Post show.

In an emotional video, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Sunday that Russian forces are preparing to bomb Odessa, a major port city.

“Russians always traveled to Odessa, always felt only warmth in Odessa,” Zelensky said. “And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Rockets against Odessa? This will be a war crime.”

Here’s what to know

Britain’s Defense Ministry said that Russia is responding to the surprising “scale and strength” of Ukrainian resistance by targeting residential areas of several cities — Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol — in an apparent effort to “break Ukrainian morale.”Russian forces struck a Ukrainian military air base, as well as a commercial airport, according to Russian and Ukrainian officials — strikes that could hinder Ukrainian access to airstrips.Russia warned Sunday that foreign countries hosting Ukrainian combat aircraft could be viewed by Moscow as parties to the conflict. The announcement came as Zelensky presses Western allies to send fighter planes to combat Moscow’s invasion.Blinken said Sunday that the United States is discussing a ban on Russian oil with European partners, a potentially crucial step in the ongoing effort to cripple the Russian economy. Some U.S. lawmakers have expressed support for such a move.1.5 million people have fled the fighting in Ukraine, heading to several neighboring countries.