Irpin, a town not far from Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, has witnessed intensive shelling from the Russian forces. A video surfaced on various social media platforms on Monday that captured a military strike killing civilians in Irpin.

The video shows a Russian shell slamming into a street, creating a dense cloud of dust. A member of the Ukrainian military rushes towards those who were close to the explosion. Another man is seen pulling away an armed member who was injured in the blast. 

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Oleksander Markyshin, the mayor of the area, said that the strike claimed the lives of eight civilians in Irpin. The dead included a family, according to reports from Associated Press.

Mayor Markushyn said, “In front of my eyes, two small children and two adults died. A family died”, CNN reported.

The shell reportedly dropped close to a bridge that was being used by civilians who wished to flee the fighting.

The death toll from the Russian invasion of Ukraine remains unclear. Human rights bodies of the United Nations have previously said that only a few hundred deaths have been officially confirmed, but has also warned the number is actually higher.

The humanitarian situation also seems to be worsening as the invasion marks its 12th day. About 1.5 million people have fled Ukrainian in nearly two weeks, making it the “fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II”, United Nations said.

The Russian forces have reportedly stepped up shelling over the weekend as a second attempt to evacuate besieged civilians collapsed. 

Oleksiy Arestovich, the presidential adviser said that Mykolaiv in the south, Chernihiv in the north and Kharkiv have witnessed increased shelling, according to reports from Associated Press. Heavy artillery hit residential areas in Kharkiv and shelling damaged a television tower, according to local officials.