Russia-Ukraine war: Key things to know about the conflict

One month has passed since Russia invaded Ukraine and there have been no major breakthroughs on the battlefield or the negotiating table.

A barrage of strikes on cities have wreaked destruction across Ukraine over the past four weeks, but Russian forces appeared stalled outside key cities in the face of fiercer-than-expected Ukrainian resistance. NATO estimated on Wednesday that 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the war started Feb. 24.

On Wednesday, the capital city of Kyiv shook with Russian shelling that sparked fires in high-rise buildings, injuring four people. In Kyiv's suburbs, artillery fire thundered as Ukrainian forces battled to hold back the Russian invasion.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden and key allies are meeting this week to discuss new sanctions against Russia and more military aid for Ukraine.

Here are some key things to know about the conflict:

WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND?

The capital of Kyiv is still under fire. A barrage of shelling rocked the city on Wednesday, with rockets slamming into a shopping mall and high-rise buildings in the districts of Sviatoshynskyi and Shevchenkivskyi.

Destruction was extensive and fires from the shelling injured four residents, city officials said.

From a public park in Kyiv, mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian bombardment had so far killed 264 civilians in the capital, including four children. As he spoke to reporters, explosions and loud gunfire echoed across the city.

Russian forces were also bombing the ancient city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, the governor said Wednesday, destroying a bridge that had been critical for evacuations and aid deliveries. Chernihiv residents are without clean water and gas for cooking and heating, city officials said.

On the capital’s western...