Ukraine war in pictures: Civilians flee as Russians break ceasefires and refugee numbers soar

As a Russian ceasefire was announced, Ukrainian civilians began to flee besieged cities like Sumy and Irpin as the total number of refugees reaches two million, according to the UN.

Thirteen days into the deadly war between Russia and Ukraine and the scenes of devastation continue to mount.

Two million refugees have now fled the country as Putin’s forces continue to launch strikes in cities and towns in the Eastern European nation.

On Tuesday morning a ceasefire was agreed to allow civilians from the northeast city of Sumy and town of Irpin near Kyiv to escape safely.

However, the ceasefire was said to have been broken by Russian shelling in Mariupol, the Ukrainians claim.

It comes after previous ceasefire attempts failed over the weekend and Moscow’s armed forced continued to rain bombs on the cities.

On Sunday, at least eight people were killed as they tried to leave Irpin, including a family of four with two children.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, returned to his office in Kyiv late on Monday and vowed to stay put for as long as it takes to win the war.

A Ukrainian girl sits in the improvised bomb shelter in Mariupol (AP)

A destroyed residential building after shelling is seen in Eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv (EPA)

People queue to receive hot food in the improvised bomb shelter in Mariupol (AP)

In a broadcasted speech to the Ukrainian nation and the world, he urged for less ‘empty promises’ for defence from Western nations.

He said: “It’s been 13 days we’ve been hearing promises, 13 days we’ve been told we’ll be helped in the air, that there will be planes, that they will be delivered to us.”

A Ukrainian serviceman looks on the debris of Russian fighter-bomber aircraft Su-34 in Kharkiv (EPA)

Residents in Kharkiv walking through the ruins of their city (REUTERS)

People walk under a destroyed bridge while fleeing Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv (AP)

An ever-growing number of Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighbouring countries such as Poland and Romania, or even as far as Germany, where support and supplies are being provided to arrivals.

Here are some of the most powerful images from the last 24 hours as the war shows no sign of stopping yet.

Refugees arrive to a temporary accommodation and transport hub in Przemysl, Poland (REUTERS)

A service takes place at Lychakiv cemetery during a joint funeral for two soldiers who died in the east of the country during recent fighting (Getty Images)

Service members carry coffins of Viktor Dudar and Ivan Koverznev, Ukrainian servicemen killed earlier this month (REUTERS)

Irpin was devastated by Russian attacks (AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks in Kyiv on Tuesday (AP)