Ukraine retakes key city from Russia, talks in Istanbul today

 Ukraine has recaptured Arpin, a town near the capital, Kiev, from Russian occupation after a February 24 attack.

According to Reuters, the city's mayor, Alexander Markshin, issued a statement saying, "Today we have good news. Arpan has been released."

A senior U.S. military official said: "The struggle to retake the territory is ongoing and the eastern city of Trostanites, south of Simeon, has returned to us."

On the other hand, a series of face-to-face talks is going to be resumed in Istanbul today, which is taking place for the first time since the meeting of the Foreign Ministers on March 10.

Ukrainian authorities have downplayed the possibility of any concrete progress, but the fact remains that they are doing everything possible to signal that they will be pushed back after the Russian invasion.

Similarly, neither side has yet commented on Russia's territorial demands, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

The other area is Donbass, which Russia has demanded be handed over to separatists.

"I do not think there will be any concrete progress on this key issue," said Vadim Dnysenkov, an adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry.

In this situation, there is no prospect of any relief for those stranded in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian cities, of which Marpool is particularly noteworthy.

The mayor of Mariupol says about 160,000 people are still trapped and Russia is not allowing them to leave.

The Russian military said last week it would focus on expanding separatist-held territory, but Ukraine said it had not seen any evidence that Russia had taken over the capital. Has given up its intention to take over.

Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitskov has said that 100 people have been killed, including four children, while 82 high-rise buildings have been demolished, but our city will not give up.

"We have destroyed the myth that the Russian military considers itself invincible," he said.

"We are resisting the aggression of one of the strongest armies in the world and have successfully forced it to change its objectives," he added.