Ukraine is depending on Western weapons to thwart Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambition of securing control of large areas of the country.

Russian artillery, drones and missiles have been relentlessly pounding Ukrainian-held eastern areas for months, indiscriminately hitting civilian targets and wreaking destruction.

At least five civilians were killed and as many wounded in action across the war-torn country in the last 24 hours.

On Thursday, he will join EU leaders at a summit in Brussels.

In some of the latest fighting, authorities reported Tuesday that Russian shelling damaged a hospital and apartment buildings.

Moscow is massing additional combat power in eastern Donbas for an expected offensive in the coming weeks.

The Kremlin warned that tank deliveries would be a dangerous escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.