Vladimir Putin Calls On Ukraine To Surrender

(Reuters) Fighting stopped about 200,000 people from evacuating the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol for the second day in a row on Sunday (6), as Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to press ahead with his invasion unless Kyiv surrendered.

Most people trapped in the port city are sleeping underground to escape more than six days of near-constant shelling by encircling Russian forces that have cut off food, water, power, and heating supplies, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

In a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Putin said he was ready for dialogue to end the fighting but that any attempt to draw out talks would fail, according to the Kremlin.

The suspension of what Moscow describes as a special operation, "is only possible if Kyiv stops military operations and carries out well-known Russian demands," the Kremlin said in a readout of the Putin-Erdogan call.

The civilian death toll from hostilities across Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion on Feb. 24 stood at 364, including more than 20 children, the United Nations said on Sunday, adding that hundreds more were injured.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said most civilian casualties were caused by the use of "explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and missile and airstrikes."

Russia has launched about 600 missiles so far, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said the Russians were "beginning to accumulate resources for the storming of Kyiv".

Moscow has repeatedly denied attacking civilian areas.