Russian troops entering key city in eastern Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen park a Russian infantry combat vehicle in the Kharkiv area (Bernat Armangue/AP)

Russian troops pushed farther into a key eastern Ukrainian city and fought street by street with Kyiv’s forces on Monday in a battle the mayor said has left the city “completely ruined” and driven tens of thousands from their homes.

Military analysts painted the battle as part of a race against time for the Kremlin, which they said wants to complete its capture of the industrial Donbas region before more Western arms arrive to bolster Ukraine’s defences.