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Photos: Ukraine refugees flee Irpin amid Russian bombing

As Russia’s attacks on civilians have intensified, Ukrainians in towns outside Kyiv are fleeing their homes for the relative safety of the capital city.

Scores of people from the town of Irpin are making that harrowing journey, using a battered bridge — which had been intentionally blown up by Ukrainian forces to slow the Russian advance — to cross into Kyiv.

Ukrainian soldiers stationed along the bridge are helping carry children, the elderly and even pets across the rubble-laden path.

A Ukrainian soldier helps evacuees gathered under a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin for Kyiv.
A Ukrainian soldier helps evacuees gathered under a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin for Kyiv on Monday. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)
Civilians flee ongoing Russian attacks as snow falls in Irpin.
Civilians flee ongoing Russian attacks as snow falls in Irpin on Tuesday. (Emin Sansar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A Ukrainian soldier and another man help an elderly woman climb out of a shopping cart as she evacuates Kyiv.
A Ukrainian soldier and another man help an elderly woman climb out of a shopping cart as she evacuates Kyiv on Tuesday. (Felipe Dana/AP)
People carry a wounded woman on a stretcher during the evacuation of civilians in Irpin.
People carry a wounded woman during the evacuation of civilians in Irpin on Tuesday. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman cries as she and other evacuees walk down a road in Irpin.
A woman cries as she evacuates Irpin on Monday. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)
Evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee Irpin.
Evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee Irpin on Monday. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian soldiers assist civilians as they continue to evacuate the town of Irpin, near Kyiv.
Ukrainian soldiers assist civilians as they continue to evacuate the town of Irpin, near Kyiv, on Tuesday. (Emin Sansar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Two men help an elderly woman across a destroyed bridge as she evacuates Irpin.
Two men help an elderly woman across a destroyed bridge as she evacuates Irpin on Tuesday. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman carries her dog while evacuating Irpin as the snow falls.
A woman carries her dog while evacuating Irpin on Tuesday. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
People crowd under a destroyed bridge in Irpin as they try to flee Russian shelling. (Felipe Dana/AP)
People crowd under a destroyed bridge in Irpin on Tuesday as they try to flee Russian shelling. (Felipe Dana/AP)
A Ukrainian soldier holds the hand of an elderly woman as he helps her evacuate Irpin.
A Ukrainian soldier helps an elderly woman evacuate Irpin on Tuesday. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
A man helps a woman cross a destroyed bridge as she and others flee the town of Irpin.
A man helps a woman cross a destroyed bridge as she and others flee the town of Irpin on Monday. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian soldiers help a wounded woman on a gurney during the evacuation by civilians in Irpin.
Ukrainian soldiers carry a wounded woman during the evacuation by civilians in Irpin on Tuesday. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
People walk on planks along a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin.
People cross an improvised path along a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin on Monday. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)
A man stands atop a destroyed bridge in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv.
A man stands atop a destroyed bridge in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on Tuesday. (Felipe Dana/AP)

Over the weekend, photographers in the area captured scenes of panicked Ukrainians desperately trying to escape heavy Russian shelling along the evacuation route.

A man carries a child as they flee the town of Irpin. A burning house can be seen in the background.
A man carries a child as they flee the town of Irpin amid heavy Russian shelling on Sunday. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)
A woman and child run along a footpath as they try to escape heavy Russian shelling in Irpin.
A woman and child run as they try to escape heavy Russian shelling in Irpin on Sunday. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)
People run for cover along a paved footpath amid heavy Russian shelling in Irpin.
People run for cover along a footpath amid heavy Russian shelling in Irpin on Sunday. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Not everyone survived. A photographer for the New York Times captured a chilling photo of four Ukrainian civilians, including two children, who were killed by Russian mortar fire as they were attempting to escape Irpin on Sunday.

Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushin said that at least eight civilians were killed along the route over the weekend. He said Russian forces were intentionally targeting civilians.

The United Nations on Tuesday said the exodus of refugees from Ukraine has topped 2 million. The U.N. Commission on Human Rights confirmed that there have been 474 civilian deaths in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, but cautioned that the actual number of casualties is likely much higher.

Ukrainian soldiers try to save a man wounded by Russian mortar fire as three other civilians lie dead in Irpin on Sunday. The man later died.
Ukrainian soldiers try to save a man wounded by Russian mortar fire as three other civilians lie dead in Irpin on Sunday. The man later died. (Andriy Dubchak/AP)
The bodies of several people killed by Russian shelling lie covered in the street in Irpin.
The bodies of people killed by Russian shelling lie covered in the street in the town of Irpin on Sunday. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/AP)
A dead body is seen on the ground on the destroyed bridge in Irpin.
A dead body is seen on the ground on the destroyed bridge in Irpin on Monday. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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What happened this week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out.