KYIV: Russian forces stepped up their battle to seize one of the dwindling number of cities not already under their control while continuing to fire on towns and villages in the country's north and south, Ukrainian officials said Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Russian shelling collapsed balconies and blew out windows in the southern region of Mykolayiv, injuring at least nine civilians, authorities said. A five-story apartment building and private homes in the town of Voznesensk were badly damaged, the Black Sea region's governor said.