MARIUPOL, Ukraine — Despite the Minsk II cease-fire agreement, which was supposed to take effect on Feb. 15, shelling from the Russian side has continued along the Mariupol front and Ukraine’s military expect the Azov Sea port city of 500,000 people will be the target of a major Russian assault within the next weeks.

Although some Ukrainian and international media reports make it seem as if the fighting is happening in Mariupol itself, the city has not been hit since Grad missiles showered down on Jan. 24, killing more some 30 civilians and wounding many others.