Good evening. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has warned Russia that peace talks will end if Kremlin forces “eliminate” the remaining Ukrainian troops in Mariupol.
This comes after more than 1,000 soldiers defending the besieged city were forced to surrender when they ran out of ammunition and supplies.
Elsewhere, Russia has resumed bombing Kyiv with long-range missiles in retaliation for Ukrainian forces that sank its flagship in the Black Sea, Moscow.
Here are the latest developments in the conflict.
1. The “elimination” of the last troops of Mariupol would put an end to the peace talks
The elimination of the last Ukrainian troops trapped in the besieged port of Mariupol will put an end to talks with Moscow, Zelensky said in an interview with Ukrainian Pravda on Saturday.
“This will be a dead end because we are not negotiating for our territories or our people,” he said.
The strategic port of Mariupol was among the worst affected after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th.
2. Russia launches new missile attacks on Kyiv
Russia stepped up air strikes against Kyiv on Saturday, killing at least one man in a tank factory a day after Moscow warned it would resume attacks in two weeks of relative calm in the Ukrainian capital.
The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, said at least one person had been killed and several injured in the attack.
Smoke rose from the Darnyrsky district in the southeastern part of the capital after, according to Moscow, “high-precision long-range” strikes on the weapons plant.
“Our forces are doing everything possible to protect us, but the enemy is cunning and ruthless,” Mr Klitschko said.
“It is no secret that a Russian general recently said they were ready for rocket attacks on the Ukrainian capital. And, as we can see, they are carrying out such shelling. “
3. “Hundreds dead” after Ukraine sank the Russian flagship
Hundreds of sailors are believed to have died aboard Russia’s flagship Moscow after being sunk by Ukrainian missiles. Reports suggest that only a few dozen of the 510-member crew have been rescued.
It took almost a day for the Russian military to acknowledge the embarrassing loss of pride of its Black Sea Fleet after it was struck in the early hours of Thursday. The Kremlin initially insisted it caught fire after the explosion and was pulled back to land.
But the United States has since confirmed that the warship was hit by two Ukrainian strikes believed to be Neptune anti-ship missiles.
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