Ukraine's foreign minister says a town on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, has suffered devastating damage as the Russian military's first attempt to seize the capital failed.

Dmytro Kuleba described the tense situation surrounding the capital at a virtual event organized by a nonprofit organization on Saturday.

He said the damage to the town of Bucha came as Russia's attempt to invade and occupy Kyiv was defeated, with enormous losses to its troops.

Kuleba also commented on the eastern city of Mariupol, where civilian facilities, including hospitals, have been severely damaged.

He said the Russian military is trying to occupy the port city even at a great cost, to secure a land route that directly connects with the Crimean Peninsula.

The foreign minister explained that Ukraine is resisting fiercely, as the country's access to the Sea of Azov would otherwise be cut off.

Kuleba also said the tactics the Russians are deploying in Ukraine are similar to those they used in Syria -- destroying cities with air strikes and making people lose the will to fight, before sending in ground troops. He pointed out that the tactics lead to enormous civilian casualties.