LVIV, March 30 — An estimated 200-300 civilians were killed in the Ukrainian town of Irpin near Kyiv before the town was taken back from Russian forces this week, the local mayor said today.

Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had seized back full control of the town which has been one of the main hotspots of fighting with Russian troops near the capital.

He told a briefing today that about 50 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed in Irpin, and some bodies were still trapped under rubble. He said there had been Russian shelling in the area all night. — Reuters