Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
– Ukrainians ‘surrounded’ in Mariupol –
Ukrainian forces are “surrounded and blocked” in Mariupol as Russian forces push to take the southeastern port city, Myhaylo Podolyak, an official from President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, tweets.
The Ukrainian army insists that “the defence of Mariupol continues”.
Zelensky says he believes “tens of thousands” of people in the city have been killed.
– Chemical weapons allegations –
Britain says it is trying to verify reports that Russia has used chemical weapons in Mariupol.
Ukrainian lawmaker Ivanna Klympush says Russia has used an “unknown substance” and that people are suffering from respiratory failure.
But an aide to the city’s mayor says that a chemical attack has not been confirmed.
– ‘All options on table’ –
Britain’s armed forces minister James Heappey tells Sky News that if evidence of chemical weapons use emerges, “all options are on the table” as a response.
“There are some things that are beyond the pale, and the use of chemical weapons will get a response,” he says.
– More bodies found –
Ukrainian prosecutors say six people have been found shot dead in the basement of a building in Brovary east of Kyiv, the latest discovery fuelling allegations of Russian atrocities.
“New mass graves are found almost daily. Testimonials are being collected. Thousands and thousands of victims. Hundreds of cases of torture. Bodies continue to be found in drains and cellars,” Zelensky tells lawmakers in Lithuania.
– ‘Hundreds of rapes’ –
Zelensky says investigators have received reports of “hundreds of cases of rape” in areas previously occupied by Russian troops, including sexual assaults of small children.
“Hundreds of cases of rape have been recorded, including those of young girls and very young children,” he tells Lithuanian MPs, adding that the victims included a baby.
– Russians reinforce in Donbas –
The Pentagon says Russia is building up its forces in the eastern Donbas region, notably near the town of Izyum, as it switches its focus to the “liberation” of a region where pro-Russian rebels have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014.
Ukraine’s defence ministry says that Russian preparations are almost over and that it believes a major assault will happen soon.
– Trade growth takes hit –
The war could almost halve world trade growth this year and drag down global GDP growth, according to the World Trade Organization, which sounds the alarm against the global economy dividing into rival blocs over the conflict.
– Nokia quits Russia –
Nokia becomes the latest Western company to pull out of the Russian market, meaning layoffs for the some 2,000 staff the Finnish mobile telecoms giant has in the country.
The announcement comes a day after rival Ericsson decided to suspend its activities in the country.
– Conflict increases poverty: Oxfam –
Fallout from the Ukraine conflict, growing inequality and Covid could force more than a quarter of a billion people into extreme poverty this year, Oxfam forecasts.
“New Oxfam estimates show that 263 million more people could be pushed into extreme poverty in 2022, due to the combined impact of Covid-19, inequality and food and energy price inflation — accelerated by the war in Ukraine,” Oxfam says in a new report.
– More than 4.6 million flee –
More than 4.6 million Ukrainians have now fled their country, the United Nations says.
