LVIV/IRPIN Ukraine (Reuters) – Russia’s incursion in Ukraine has continued, but at a much slower pace than usual on Tuesday. According to Ukrainian intelligence and military, a second Russian high ranking commander died after fleeing bombed cities.

Residents of Irpin in the northeast corner of Kyiv ran with young children either in strollers or in their arms. Others carried pets carriers, plastic bags, and suitcases.

A young mother holding her baby underneath a blanket and her daughter standing beside said, “It’s like an accident, the city almost ruined.

“Yesterday was a hard bombing. And the lights are very scary.

The Ukrainian military intelligence reported Tuesday that a Russian general died near Kharkiv. It was the second Russian top commander killed in the attack.

The Chief Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine stated that Major General Vitaly Gerasimov (first deputy commander of Russia’s 41st armies) was murdered on Monday.

The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces stated that the Russian offensive continued, but at a much slower pace.

Russia’s defense ministry was not immediately available for comment. Reuters couldn’t verify these reports.

Russia’s attack on Europe, which was the largest since World War Two has left 1.7 million people homeless. There are a number of sanctions against Moscow and concerns about a wider conflict, as Western military assistance is being sent to Ukraine.

Russia refers to its actions in Ukraine as a “special operations” and says it isn’t meant to occupy any territory. Its purpose is to degrade the military capabilities of its southern neighbor, capture dangerous nationalists and destroy their military capability.

Moscow offered possible humanitarian corridors between Russia and Belarus, but Kyiv rejected it.

Moscow suggested that Sumy residents and Mariupol’s inhabitants have the option of moving to another part of Ukraine, but Kyiv was forced to accept the proposal, Russian news agencies said.

After the third attempt at easing the conflict in Belarusian talks, negotiators advised that the next round would not bring an end result. On Thursday, the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers will meet in Turkey.

Dmitry Peskov (Kremlin spokesperson) told Reuters Moscow would stop operations if Ukraine ceases fighting. The amendment to its constitution declared neutrality and acknowledged Russia’s annexation Crimea.

RUSSIAN WARNING

The West and Russia are now at war over energy, with fears growing after Russia’s aggression in Ukraine was punished by the United States.

Russia threatened to stop gas flowing through German pipelines that connect Russia and Germany, in protest at Berlin’s recent decision to halt opening the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Russia provides 40% of Europe’s natural gas.

Russian Deputy Prime minister Alexander Novak declared Monday, “We have every reason to adopt a matching decision,” and he said that an embargo would be imposed on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline gas pumps.

Novak warned, in addition to warning that oil prices could rise more than 300 percent per barrel if America and its allies ban imports from Russia. This is a vital source of income after Russia was effectively exiled from the Western financial markets.

Bank of America’s (NYSE:) analysts said however that if Russia stops exporting oil, there might be a shortage of at least 5 million barrels per hour (bpd), pushing prices up to $200.

After trading at $125.19, oil prices saw a sharp drop to near their 14-year peak on Tuesday. Futures were up 1.06 or 0.9% at $124.27 per barrel by 0223 GMT.

On Monday, Joe Biden, the President of the United States held a conference call with leaders from France and Germany to push for them to support the ban on Russian oil imports.

Two sources familiar with the matter said that the United States is willing to continue without European allies if needed. Numerous countries across the continent rely heavily on Russian energy.

Japan tightened sanctions, freezing assets for 32 additional Russian and Belarusian officials.

Estee Lauder Companies Inc (NYSE) was one of many firms that exited Russia. It suspended all commercial activity and closed all stores.

According to a senior U.S. defense official, Putin has now deployed almost 100% of more than 150,000 troops he pre-staged in Ukraine prior to the invasion.

According to Ukrainian officials, 13 people were killed in a Russian strike at a bakery in Makariv, Kyiv. Reuters was unable to verify this information. Russia denies targeting civilians.

Under regular bombardments, hundreds of thousands of people were left without water and food in Mariupol’s southern port city.