AT LEAST seven people were reportedly killed as Russian missiles struck a target in the west Ukrainian city of Lviv today, while the capital Kiev was among other cities targeted in a renewed round of bombardments.

Ukrainian officials said that a tyre factory was destroyed in the attack. Russian sources claimed that they were targeting Western arms shipments believed to have crossed from neighbouring Poland. 

Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi accused Russia of carrying out a genocide of ethnic Ukrainians. 

“The enemy wants to destroy us as a nation,” he said, adding: “We only have one option – to fight.”

Mr Sadovyi insisted that Ukraine was defending the world, describing the war as a clash between democracy and totalitarianism. 

Explosions were also heard in the capital Kiev and surrounding areas, dampening hopes of a slow return to normality there. 

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed to have struck 315 targets overnight and destroyed 16 military facilities. 

Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that two Ukrainian fighter jets had also been shot down. 

In the south-eastern city of Mariupol, a Russian deadline for Ukrainian troops to surrender passed. 

Battle was raging in the Black Sea port city, with the focus on the Azovstal steel plant, the last stronghold of the remaining Ukrainian forces. 

Russian jets and artillery fire pounded the site and plumes of black smoke were observed billowing from the four-and-a-quarter square-mile industrial area. 

It iis believed that Russian forces have taken control of about 80 per cent of the plant, with the soldiers of neonazi Azov Battalion among those continuing to resist.

Latest reports suggest that as many as five million people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on February 24.

Peace talks, which stalled in Istanbul earlier this month, are reported to be set to resume in Kiev later this week.