I'm standing on a rooftop looking out on Lviv on day 47 of Russia's brutal invasion

of Ukraine.

Jake Tapper, welcome to this special broadcast of the lead, we're live from western Ukraine

and we start tonight with intensified attacks on the eastern part of this country.

The Pentagon is cautioning that Russia's new offensive in the southeastern Dombas

region.

That itself has not yet begun in their estimation, but CNN's Nima al-Bagger visiting the

north-eastern town of Harkiv today, that's just some 25 miles from the border with Russia

and north of the Dombas region.

Local military leaders report a barrage of Russian attacks over the last day there, mostly

bombings it appears, at least 11 civilians were killed, including a seven-year-old Ukrainian

child.

And even more horrific news.

From the key port city of Mariopol, which has been under a relentless Russian assault

for weeks now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, making this grim assessment today.

Mariopol lies destroyed, tens of thousands have been killed there, and still the Russians

won't end their offensive.

They want to make an example out of Mariopol as a city ruined.

But I am also learning that nine volunteer drivers working to evacuate Ukrainians from

Mariopol have been detained by the Russian military, and as of now they remain missing.

The head of the Ukrainian organization, Help People, says 10 drivers, had been trying

to get civilians out of that besieged city.

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