Fighting escalated in the Slavutych area on 23 March, after Russian forces opened fire on a security checkpoint in the outskirts of the city.[4] The shelling of the outskirts of Slavutych continued into 24 March, with conditions within the besieged city described as a "humanitarian catastrophe".[5] On 25 March, reports emerged that Russian snipers had potentially infiltrated within the city; Slavutych City Council issued a curfew as a result, forbidding residents from moving around the city.[6]