The United Nations’ human rights office on Monday confirned the deaths of 406 civilians in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. The world body released the numbers as Moscow and Kyiv hold a tird round of talks in Belarus. 

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The UN agency further added that 801 civilians have been injured as of midnight Sunday. The rights body said that it believes the real figures are considerably higher, “especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days.” Fighting has delayed its receipt of information and many reports still need to be corroborated.

Ukrainian officials have presented far higher numbers. The figures include data collected between 4 AM local time on February 24, 2022 and midnight on March 6, 2022, the OHCHR said.

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Meanwhile, Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky accused Ukraine of blocking humanitarian corridors for civilians, calling it a ‘war crime’. 

 “The nationalists who have seized positions in cities continue to hold civilians there. This is undoubtedly a war crime,” he said. 

Russia said it will be opening up humanitarian corridors in multiple Ukrainian cities on Monday, following up on a special request made by French President Emmanuel Macron. Kyiv, however, dismissed Moscow’s offer. 

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Russian forces intensified shelling of cities in Ukraine’s center, north and south, a Ukrainian official said, upending attempts to evacuate besieged civilians. With the Ukrainian leader urging his people to fight in the streets, Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted blame for the invasion, saying Moscow’s attacks could be halted “only if Kyiv ceases hostilities.”

The outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, faced stepped-up shelling late Sunday, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said. Heavy artillery hit residential areas in Kharkiv and shelling damaged a television tower, according to local officials.