Ukraine accuses Moscow of ‘medieval’ tactics

Russia’s top negotiator said he expects those corridors to start functioning on Tuesday

Ukrainian soldiers help a fleeing family crossing the Irpin river (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine deepened as Russian forces intensified their shelling in move Kyiv condemned as a medieval-style siege by Moscow to batter it into submission.

A third round of talks between the two sides ended with a top Ukrainian official saying there had been minor, unspecified progress towards establishing safe corridors that would allow civilians to escape the fighting.