Fierce fighting is continuing around Mariupol, as Russian and Russian-backed separatist forces have surrounded the southern Ukrainian city of about 400,000 people on three sides. 

Residents reported heavy shelling overnight, but Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said Ukrainian authorities were able to restore some mobile communications despite working as the city was being shelled and shot at.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said early Wednesday that the number of wounded civilians “is growing every day.”

“Today there are 128 people in our hospitals. Our doctors don’t even go home anymore. They are fighting for the lives of Mariupol residents,” he said.

Russian forces are hoping to take Mariupol to complete a land corridor that would link the Crimea with southern Russia. Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 from Ukraine.