The black hole in the ground looked big enough to swallow a car but Lidiya Tikhovska was only looking at the spot where an ambulance worker said her son's remains lay.
Major military exercises involving 30,000 NATO troops and partner countries kicked off in Norway as tensions escalate between the West and Russia over the Ukraine war.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has urged the South African government to call for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
While Russia continues its offensive, Ukrainians have been left scrambling as they seek for places of safety.
Ukrainian historian Yuriy Korchemniy seemed slightly uncertain about his role in defending the Ukrainian capital against Russian President Vladimir Putin's invading forces.
Ukrainian soldiers repulsed a Russian attack in the capital, only hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow would attempt to take Kyiv before dawn.
Efforts to defuse the crisis in Ukraine failed to ease tensions, with US President Joe Biden warning that Russia faces "swift and severe costs" if its troops carry out an invasion.
United States intelligence assessments say Russia is stepping up preparations for a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, US officials said.
Some 200 Canadian troops will provide training in combat skills to Ukraine’s National Guard from August.
The threats came in statements issued after a video conference that brought together Obama and world leaders.
A military official said rebels had shelled Ukrainian positions 22 times over the past day.
The move was Kiev's most direct step to acknowledge that the ceasefire was finally holding
Fighting has eased in eastern Ukraine in recent days, raising hope that a ceasefire can finally take effect.
The Ukrainian Defence Ministry said 13 servicemen were killed and 157 wounded during the withdrawal.
Separatist forces fought their way into the key railway junction on Tuesday despite a ceasefire.
A Kiev military source said four Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 21 wounded.
Over 5,000 lives have so far been claimed in the conflict.
Fighting raged in eastern Ukraine on Sunday between pro-Russian separatists and Ukranian forces.
