Russia aims to erase us, Ukraine's Zelenskiy says on day 7 of war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy poses after an interview with Reuters in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 1, 2022. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -Russia is aiming to erase Ukraine, its history and people, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video on Wednesday as the seventh day of Moscow's invasion of its neighbour started with heavy shelling of the Black Sea port of Mariupol.

Moscow switched to strikes on Ukrainian cities on Tuesday and appeared poised for an advance on Kyiv as the West tightened an economic noose around Russia in retaliation.