From the war zone: Ukrainian forces take on Russian onslaught to save Kharkiv amid raining missiles

As Russian forces step up their attack in the east, holding on to Kharkiv becomes critical for Ukraine. The region shares borders with Russia as well as the neighbouring areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, part of the Donbas region completely in Russian control.

An eerie calm prevails at a residential complex on the outskirts of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine: children's parks and schools once bustling with kids have now turned into a battlefield.

Master Sergeant Valeriy Stepanov briefs on the status of the fighting here. As he speaks, the quietness is shattered by the booming guns. Everybody is on the ground, taking cover as India Today's video journalist Lalit Joshi rolls the camera to catch every glimpse in the thick of action amid continuous bombardments.

Minutes later, it’s back to calmness, which is only temporary. Master Sergeant Stepanov says this is a regular feature several times a day, maybe repeated every two-three hours.

Read | Ukraine puts up strong defence even as Russia steps up attack in eastern regions | Top points

The border is about 20km away but the Russian forces are only a couple of kilometres away, says the Master Sergeant. The Ukrainian troops have dug trenches around the buildings in case they have to take on an advance from the Russians; a ground invasion by the Russian forces into Kharkiv is not ruled out.

The only residents here are soldiers of the Ukrainian army who live in bunkers built under the apartment buildings. Homes shattered, top floors completely blown off: there is gloom all around.

With residents evacuated, Saltivka near Kharkiv is a ghost town. There is a no-entry zone for civilians after the heavy bombardment.