Ukraine-Russia latest news LIVE: Russians ‘bomb Mariupol mosque sheltering kids’ and forces close in on Kyiv

Russia have shelled a mosque in Mariupol where children were taking cover, Ukraine’s foreign ministry has claimed.

“The mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Roxolana (Hurrem Sultan) in Mariupol was shelled by Russian invaders,” the foreign ministry said in a tweet.

“More than 80 adults and children are hiding there from the shelling, including citizens of Turkey.”

It comes as the “bulk” of Russian forces are approaching Kyiv - just 25km (15 miles) away, the UK’s Ministry of Defence has said.

Earlier on, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of kidnapping the mayor of the southern port city of Melitopol.

“They have transitioned into a new stage of terror, in which they try to physically liquidate representatives of Ukraine’s lawful local authorities,” Mr Zelensky said in a video address.

Kirill Timoshenko, the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office, posted a video on the social media site Telegram which he said showed a group of armed men carrying mayor Ivan Fedorov across a square.

Hyundai suspends Chelsea sponsorship after Abramovich sanctions

20:08 , John Dunne

Hyundai has announced that it is suspending its sponsorship of Chelsea Football Club in light of sanctions announced against owner Roman Abramovich on Thursday.

The car giant signed a four-year deal with Chelsea to become a sleeve sponsor in 2018 in an agreement estimated to be worth around £50 million to the club.

“Hyundai has become one of the strongest partners in football over the years and the company supports the sport to be a force for good,” the company said in a statement.

“Through our partnership with Chelsea FC, we are proud supporters of the players, the fans and grassroots football. However, in the current circumstances, we have taken the decision to suspend our marketing and communication activities with the Club until further notice,” it added.

Ministry of Defence gives update on war in Ukraine as Russia enlists extra troops

19:15 , John Dunne

The UK’s Ministry of Defence has tweeted an update on the invasion of Ukraine as Russia attempts to boost troop numbers.

It notes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has now publicly acknowledged the recruitment of 16,000 mostly Middle Eastern volunteers.

It follows reports that Russia was aiming to deploy mercenaries from private military companies.

Russia has also acknowledged this week that it is using conscripted soldiers despite previous;y having denied any were involved in the offences.

The Ministry of Defence update adds that as Russian losses mount it will be forced to draw on alternate sources to reinforce its overstretched regular forces.

Anti-war protests across the world

18:43 , John Dunne

Demonstrations in support of Ukraine have been taking place in several cities across Europe, including London and Paris.

A banner with the message “Free Ukraine” was held up at at Twickenham in London, ahead of a Six Nations rugby match between England and Ireland.

In Ukrainian port city of Odesa, musicians and singers from the famous opera house held an outdoor concert in support of a no-fly zone over the country.

Russia warns weapons shipments to Ukraine would be ‘legitimate targets'

18:08 , John Dunne

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the US about the potential consequences of transferring weapons to Ukraine, saying convoys with foreign weapons would be “legitimate targets.”

“We warned the United States that pumping Ukraine with weapons from a number of countries orchestrated by them is not just a dangerous move, but these are actions that turn the corresponding convoys into legitimate targets,” Ryabkov said Saturday on the Russian state-run Channel One, according to state-owned RIA Novosti news agency.

2,000 people evacuated from Kyiv

17:26 , John Dunne

About 2,000 people were evacuated in the Kyiv region on Saturday, the State Emergency Service has said.

An evacuation convoy of 40 buses arrived in the village of Bilohorodka on Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from the service.

Rescuers have been providing evacuees with assistance, including medical and psychological, the statement added.

Volnovakha ‘no longer exists’ after Russian bombardment

17:23 , John Dunne

The city of Volnovakha in the south east of Ukraine has been completely destroyed since the Russian invasion, the governor of the Donetsk region has claimed.

Pavlo Kyrylenko

Most of the population has fled and much of its infrastructure has been destroyed, meaning the city effectively no longer exists, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko.

“In general, Volnovakha with its infrastructure as such no longer exists,” he told Ukrainian TV channel Direct.

But he said fighting is continuing in the area to prevent a Russian encirclement.

Volnovakha has been blasted by rockets and air strikes destroying almost every building in the town, officials have said.

17:08 , John Dunne

Poland’s parliament has approved emergency legislation that permits Ukrainians fleeing the war the right to live and work in the country for 18 months.

The refugees will receive a social security number and have the right to access free healthcare and education, as well as social benefits.

They will be allowed to extend their legal status for up to three years.

More than 1.5m people have fled Ukraine and crossed at the Poland border since the start of the war. The majority are women and children.

Mariupol Deputy Mayor hopes civilians can be evacuated

17:02 , John Dunne

Mariupol Deputy Mayor Serhiy Orlov has said that a convoy is on its way to the city bringing aid and buses to evacuate civilians.

But he said this was the seventh attempt to bring relief to the city which has little food, water or power and has been pummelled by bombing

He said: “On the previous six it didn’t work. The convoys were not let through - they were bombed, the road was mined, there was shelling in the town. Let’s see whether this one gets here or not.”

Demonstration in London to support Ukraine

16:51 , John Dunne

A protest was held outside Downing Street to show solidarity with Ukraine over its invasion by Russia.

The event was organised by London EuroMaidan, a Ukraine cultural organisation, and British-Ukrainian volunteers.

Children held placards calling for the end of the war and called for more action from the British government. A second day of protest is planned for tomorrow.

Putin ‘does not appear ready to end war’

16:18 , Sami Quadri

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a 75-minute call with French president Emmanuel Macron and German leader Olaf Scholz on Saturday.

A French presidency official has now revealed details of the conversation.

The official said that Mr Putin “did not appear ready to end the war” in Ukraine.

The leaders of France and Germany called for a ceasefire and told Mr Putin that the destruction by Russian forces must stop, the official said.

US ready to take diplomatic steps Ukraine will find helpful

16:17 , Sami Quadri

The United States is willing to take diplomatic steps that the Ukrainian government would find helpful, a State Department spokesperson said on Saturday.

The comments after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the West should be more involved in negotiations to end the war.

"If there are diplomatic steps that we can take that the Ukrainian Government believes would be helpful, we're prepared to take them", the spokesperson said.

"We are working to put the Ukrainians in the strongest possible negotiating position, including by increasing pressure on Russia by imposing severe costs and by providing security assistance to help Ukrainians defend themselves.”

Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear plants being run by Ukrainian staff

15:57 , Sami Quadri

The Ukrainian nuclear power plants at Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia, both now under the control of Russian forces, are being run and managed by their Ukrainian staff, Russia's atomic energy agency Rosatom said on Saturday, according to the RIA news agency.

Rosatom's statement said an external power supply was being restored to the defunct Chernobyl plant, site of the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986, with the help of Russian specialists.

It also said activities to ensure safety at the plants were being carried out in coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Around 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the start of the Russian invasion

15:35 , Sami Quadri

President Volodymyr Zelensky says about 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in fighting since the start of the Russian invasion.

Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, Zelensky said it would take Russia to carpet-bomb the Ukrainian capital and kill its residents to take the city.

He added that "if that is their goal, let them come."

Zelenskyy said that "if they carry out carpet bombings and wipe off the historic memory of the entire region, the history of Kyivan Rus, the history of Europe, they could enter Kyiv."

Russia can only take Kyiv if it ‘razes it to the ground’, says Zelenskyy

15:21 , Sami Quadri

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia can only take Kyiv if it “razes it to the ground”.

In his latest video address, Mr Zelenskyy also said he doesn’t see “common consensus” for Ukraine to be accepted into NATO as he accused the alliance of lacking “bravery” in its response to the invasion.

Most Ukrainian businesses not operating since Russian invasion, Zelenskiy says

15:02 , Sami Quadri

Most Ukrainian businesses have stopped operating since Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday.

Zelenskiy's economic adviser previously estimated that the Russian invasion had already caused more than $100 billion of damage.

UN says 579 civilians killed since war began

14:52 , Sami Quadri

The U.N. human rights office says at least 579 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the start of the war, and more than 1,000 have been injured.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said Saturday that 42 of those killed were children, while 54 were injured.

The Geneva-based office had documented 564 civilian deaths and 982 injured a day earlier.

It said most recorded civilian casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a "wide impact area," such as shelling from heavy artillery and missile strikes.

U.N. officials said they believe the actual number of casualties is considerably higher than so far recorded because the receipt of information has been delayed and many reports still need to be corroborated.

Putin briefed French and German leaders on Russia-Ukraine talks

14:16 , Sami Quadri

Vladimir Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about the state of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv and responded to their concerns about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine during a three-way phone call on Saturday, the Kremlin said.

The Kremlin did not elaborate on Putin's comments about the state of talks, 17 days into the war that began when Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb 24.

On Friday, Putin said there had been "certain positive shifts" in the talks, which have been taking place in Belarus, but gave no further details.

The Kremlin statement said Macron and Scholz raised questions about the humanitarian situation arising from what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine, and Putin responded with allegations of human rights abuses by Ukrainian forces. It did not cite evidence in support of those allegations.

Britons keen to host Ukrainian refugees ‘must do so for at least six months’

13:51 , Sami Quadri

Britons keen to house Ukrainian refugees under the Government’s new sponsorship scheme will need to agree to do so for at least six months, reports suggest.

The current visa route for people fleeing the war in Ukraine is restricted to family members of people settled in the UK.

Another promised route, allowing individuals and companies to sponsor Ukrainians with no ties to the UK to come to the country, is expected to be launched on Monday.

According to the Times, the Government has decided people who want to offer a home to those fleeing the war under the new scheme will need to commit to a six-month contract.

The newspaper cited a Government source as saying: “It’s about making sure we have secure offers.

“Unfortunately it’s going to need to be a long-term scheme as it doesn’t look like they’ll be going home any time soon.”

Ukraine situation ‘a lot worse than I thought’, says Briton with medical goods

13:39 , Sami Quadri

A British businessman says he has arrived in Ukraine with medical supplies and found the refugee crisis much worse than he expected.

Richard Dass, 55, said medics at the hospital he visited on Saturday morning cheered when he brought in the boxes of supplies he had packed into his 25-year-old Mazda Bongo motorhome earlier this week in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

Mr Dass said: “The refugee situation is a lot worse than I had thought.

“They’re sleeping on the concrete floor of the train stations and bus shelters on the way and all sorts of things.

“In the train station, it’s like seeing hundreds and hundreds of homeless people not knowing what to do next.

“The ones here have not got anything to sleep on. They’ve just got a day pack and a change of clothes.

“They don’t want clothes, though. They want carry mats and sleeping bags.”

Russian forces have captured the eastern outskirts of the besieged city of Mariupol.

13:16 , Sami Quadri

Ukraine's military says Russian forces have captured the eastern outskirts of the besieged city of Mariupol.

In a Facebook update, the military said the capture of Mariupol and Severodonetsk in the east were a priority for Russian forces.

Mariupol has been under siege for more than a week, with no electricity, gas or water.

Repeated efforts to evacuate people from the city of 430,000 have fallen apart as humanitarian convoys came under shelling.

Roman Abramovich disqualified as Chelsea director

13:15 , Sami Quadri

Roman Abramovich has been disqualified as a director of Chelsea by the Premier League board but the sale of the club is expected to progress with Government oversight.

The Russian-Israeli billionaire's UK assets were frozen on Thursday in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

However, it is understood Chelsea have been handed a new licence to continue operations. The European champions are still locked in negotiations with the Government to ease restrictions.

New York merchant bank the Raine Group has now assessed the terms of the licence and agreed a route forward for the sale of the club, according to reports.

Zelensky says Russia has suffered its biggest military loss in decades

12:02 , Sami Quadri

President Vologymyr Zelensky has said Russia suffered its biggest losses in decades in his latest television address.

Zelensky also demanded the immediate release of the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov.

The Russian troops are suffering great losses," he says.

"We could even now talk about the greatest blow to the Russian troops in tens of years."

He added that 31 Russian tactical groups had been rendered incapable of combat.

Zelensky said Ukraine was upholding a ceasefire along key humanitarian routes from besieged Mariupol and urged Russia to do the same.

Russia warns US over arms shipments to Ukraine

11:54 , Sami Quadri

A senior Russian diplomat has warned that Moscow could target Western shipments of military equipment to Ukraine.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia "warned the U.S. that pumping weapons from a number of countries it orchestrates isn't just a dangerous move, it's an action that makes those convoys legitimate targets.”

He also denounced the US sanctions against Moscow as an "unprecedented attempt to deal a serious blow to various sectors of the Russian economy," but noted that Moscow will act in a measured way to avoid hurting itself.

Belarus denies plans to join Russian invasion but is 'rotating' troops at border

11:06 , Sami Quadri

Belarus has no plans to join the Russian invasion of Ukraine but is sending five battalion tactical groups (BTGs) to its border on rotation to replace forces already stationed there, its Chief of General Staff Viktor Gulevich said on Saturday.

A top Ukrainian security official on Friday warned Belarus not to send troops to Ukraine, saying Ukraine was showing restraint towards Belarus despite the country being used as a launchpad for Russian planes.

“I want to underline that the transfer of troops is in no way connected with (any) preparation, and especially not with the participation of Belarusian soldiers in the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine,” Gulevich said.

Israel denies reports that they told Ukraine to accept Russian demands

10:11 , Sami Quadri

A top Ukrainian adviser and an Israeli official on Saturday pushed back against a media report suggesting Israel tried to nudge Ukraine into caving to Russian demands during talks.

Israel has been engaged in diplomatic efforts to try to end the war in Ukraine.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

A report by Israel's Walla news and the Jerusalem Post suggested that Bennett had urged Ukraine to give in to Russian demands.

Israel, "just as other conditional intermediary countries, does NOT offer Ukraine to agree to any demands of the Russian Federation," Ukrainian adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter.

"This is impossible for military & political reasons. On the contrary, Israel urges Russia to assess the events more adequately."

A senior Israeli official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, called the report "patently false"

History is repeating itself ‘time and time again’, says Ukrainian MP

09:46 , Sami Quadri

Lesia Vasylenko, who is in Strasbourg on a diplomatic assignment, said she does not understand why people do not learn the lessons of the past.

She said it is easier to prevent death and destruction than to deal with the aftermath.

Asked if she thinks that the war will get so bad that the West may get involved, Ms Vasylenko told Times Radio: “The history is just repeating itself time and time again, and I don’t understand what is wrong with us humans and humanity why we don’t learn from the lessons.

“It’s so much easier to prevent death from happening, and destruction from happening, than to later restore it and deal with all the trauma.”

She said there is still time to stop President Vladimir Putin “once and for all”, adding: “A year ago, eight years ago was the time to do this, but nobody wanted to get involved.

“This is the same as 1938 when also the world and the United States in particular were averting their eyes from what was being done by Hitler and his Nazi Party.

“And then they stepped in when the death toll was going up by the millions.

“And it’s going to be the same thing here as well, because there’s just so much that humanity can take,” she said.

Ukraine says Russian forces shelled mosque in Mariupol

09:43 , Sami Quadri

Russian forces have shelled a mosque in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, where more than 80 adults and children, including Turkish citizens, have taken refuge, Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Ukraine has accused Russia of refusing to allow people out of Mariupol, where a blockade has left hundreds of thousands trapped. Russia blames Ukraine for the failure to evacuate people.

"The mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Roxolana (Hurrem Sultan) in Mariupol was shelled by Russian invaders," the foreign ministry said in a tweet. "More than 80 adults and children are hiding there from the shelling, including citizens of Turkey."

Germany to take 2,500 Ukrainian refugees from Moldova

09:26 , Sami Quadri

Germany will take in 2,500 refugees who have fled to Moldova from Ukraine, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Saturday, as eastern Europe's efforts to aid refugees come under strain.

The number of refugees who have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion now totals more than 2.5 million - and some cities in eastern Europe are running out of accommodation.

Speaking after meeting her Moldovan counterpart in Chisinau, Baerbock said Germany was committed to helping Ukraine's neighbours look after refugees and a corridor would be set up via Romania to bring people to Germany, mainly by bus.

"Europe and our country stands in solidarity with you, we will take refugees from you," she said.

More than 270,300 people have crossed into Moldova from Ukraine and around 105,000 of them have stayed.

Russian rockets destroy Ukrainian airbase in Kyiv region

09:24 , Sami Quadri

Russian rocket attacks destroyed a Ukrainian airbase near the town of Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region on Saturday morning, Interfax Ukraine quoted the local mayor as saying.

The rocket attacks also hit an ammunition depot, Vasylkiv Mayor Natalia Balasynovych said.

‘People here are in panic’ after Russian air strikes, says Dnipro citizen

08:31 , Sami Quadri

A resident of Dnipro in Ukraine has said "people here are in panic" after the city was hit by Russian air strikes.

Three strikes hit the major industrial hub, which is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, killing at least one person, according to Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Heraschenko.

Daria Matveytseva, 30, a content creator in Dnipro, said: "Dnipro used to be a safe place until today.

"We woke up from the sound of explosion, then we heard another one louder and the third one in time.

"We have a bomb shelter in our building, but there won't be enough places for everyone. Many people stay in their corridors and sleep there as well.

"People here are in panic (because) missiles hit not the military objects, but shoe factory, also near kindergarten and civil building."

Emmanuel Macron condemns UK for not doing enough for Ukraine’s refugees

08:23 , Sami Quadri

The UK Government has been condemned by French President Emmanuel Macron for failing to live up to its "grand statements" on helping Ukrainian refugees.

Speaking at the end of an EU summit in Versailles, Mr Macron reportedly criticised Britain's visa policy which required applicants to make them in person in Brussels or Paris.

According to The Guardian, Mr Macron said this further exacerbated circumstances for those fleeing the war.

He added: "Despite all the grand statements... the British government continued to apply current rules that meant they did not welcome Ukrainian refugees who wanted to reach British soil saying they have to travel hundreds of kilometres in order to apply for a visa.

"I would hope that the Ukrainian men and women who have lived through horror and crossed Europe to reach their families on UK territory will be better treated."

In response to Mr Macron's reported remarks, the Home Office pointed to previous comments from Home Secretary Priti Patel, which stated: "We are now making the process quicker and simpler by removing the need to physically visit visa application centres for many of those who are making the perilous journey across Europe."

Ukrainian refugees ‘targeted by human traffickers'

08:18 , Sami Quadri

Concerns are growing over how to protect vulnerable Ukrainian refugees from being targeted by human traffickers.

"Obviously all the refugees are women and children," said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, the UNHCR’s head of global communications, who has visited borders in Romania, Poland and Moldova.

"You have to worry about any potential risks for trafficking - but also exploitation, and sexual exploitation and abuse. These are the kinds of situations that people like traffickers . look to take advantage of," she said.

The U.N. refugee agency says more than 2.5 million people, including more than a million children, have already fled war-torn Ukraine in what has become an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Europe and its fastest exodus since World War II.

Russia closing in on Kyiv

08:15 , Sami Quadri

Russian forces appeared to make progress from northeast Ukraine in their slow fight to reach the capital, Kyiv.

Tanks and artillery pounded places already under siege with shelling so heavy it prevented residents of one city from burying the growing number of dead.

In Mariupol, unceasing barrages have thwarted repeated attempts to bring in food and water and to evacuate trapped civilians.

Mariupol's death toll has passed 1,500 in 12 days of attack, the mayor's office said. A strike on a maternity hospital in the city of 446,000 this week that killed three people sparked international outrage and war-crime allegations

Volodymyr Zelensky claims Russian forces have kidnapped mayor of Melitopol

07:43 , Sami Quadri

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of kidnapping the mayor of the southern port city of Melitopol, equating it to the actions of so-called Islamic State "terrorists".

"They have transitioned into a new stage of terror, in which they try to physically liquidate representatives of Ukraine's lawful local authorities," Mr Zelensky said in a video address.

Kirill Timoshenko, the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office, posted a video on the social media site Telegram which he said showed a group of armed men carrying mayor Ivan Fedorov across a square.

Russian ground forces are 25 kilometres from Kyiv

07:41 , Sami Quadri

Russia ‘has destroyed 3,491 Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities'

07:36 , Sami Quadri

Russian troops have destroyed 3,491 Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine so far, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov has claimed.

Russian forces "continue the offensive in Ukraine on a broad front", Konashenkov said.