Summary

  • Russia will "drastically reduce combat operations" around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, its deputy defence minister says

  • But US President Joe Biden says "let's see" what happens on the ground

  • UK PM Boris Johnson also urges caution - saying he will judge Russia by its actions, not words

  • Ukraine's President Zelensky says the "positive" signs do not "drown out" the sound of Russian attacks

  • The mayor of Chernihiv says "time will tell" if the Russians stick to their word

  • And a Russian negotiator warns the de-escalation is "not a ceasefire"

  • A US official says some Russian troops are leaving Kyiv - but will wait to see if it's meaningful

  1. Chernobyl’s vodka producer defies Russia's troopspublished at 05:51 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    Three bottles of Atomik Chernobyl fruit spiritImage source, ATOMIK
    Image caption,

    There are now three varieties of Atomik Chernobyl fruit spirit

    A company that produces Atomik - a vodka made in Chernobyl's exclusion zone - is releasing two more premium drinks and donating profits to Ukraine's refugees.

    The move comes as Russian troops occupy the land where the fruit is grown and harvested to make the drinks.

    Scientists who set up the Atomik project have studied crops grown in the Chernobyl exclusion zone for 30 years.

    Their work has enabled people living on contaminated land to distil slightly radioactive fruit down to a spirit that is no more radioactive than any other.

    Read more about this story here.

  2. Russia continues to strike targets across Ukraine - UK MoDpublished at 05:23 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    People watch as smoke rises above Lviv after a Russian airstrikeImage source, REUTERS/Pavlo Palamarchuk
    Image caption,

    Powerful explosions have been reported in the western city of Lviv

    The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has given an update on the latest fighting in Ukraine, external, saying that:

    • Russian forces continue to strike targets across Ukraine, including targeting many densely populated civilian areas
    • Russia continues to rely on munitions launched from within Russian airspace in order to reduce their aircrafts' exposure to Ukrainian air defences
    • The US has reported these weapons have a failure rate of up to 60%, which is forcing Russia to switch to less sophisticated missiles

    The Armed Forces of Ukraine have also posted an update on Facebook, external, with these key points:

    • Russia has continued to attack civilian and military infrastructure in the besieged south-eastern city Mariupol
    • It has also continued to target the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, firing on suburban areas and directly into the city
    • Armed forces in neighbouring country Belarus, which is an ally of Russia, have been conducting training activities in Brest, Minsk and Grodno regions

  3. Has Putin changed his aims?published at 04:57 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    Paul Kirby
    BBC News Online Europe editor

    A map showing Ukraine’s separatist regions in the east of the country
    Image caption,

    Ukraine’s separatist regions

    Russia does appear to have lowered its ambitions, claiming it has "generally accomplished" the aims of the invasion's first phase, which it defined as considerably reducing Ukraine's combat potential.

    The main goal, we are now told, is the "liberation of Donbas" - broadly referring to Ukraine's eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. More than a third of this area was already seized by Russian-backed separatists in a war that began in 2014.

    Russia wants all of it, as spelled out by President Putin when he recognised the whole area as belonging to two Russian puppet statelets in the lead-up to the invasion. It will also try to control Ukrainian territories along the south coast, east from Crimea to the Russian border.

    And his broader demand is still about ensuring Ukraine's future neutrality.

    Read more here: Why has Russia invaded Ukraine and what does Putin want?

  4. In pictures: Thousands protest in Praguepublished at 04:32 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    Activists pour red paint on the stairs of the Russian Embassy in Prague on early March 26, 2022.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Activists pour red paint on the stairs of the Russian Embassy in Prague

    Thousands from Prague's Russian community marched through the city waving flags and holding up signs denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

    Several activists threw red paint, symbolising the blood of those killed in the war so far, on the stairs of the Russian embassy in Prague.

    Carrying square signs that said "Putin, go to hell" and "Stop Putin, Stop war", protesters walked through the centre of the Czech capital.

    Members of Prague's Russian community holding placards take part in an anti-war demonstration in Prague,Image source, Getty Images
    Members of Prague's Russian community holding placards take part in an anti-war demonstration in Prague,Image source, Getty Images
  5. US to provide $100 million in civilian security aid to Ukrainepublished at 04:06 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    The US State Department has said that it will provide Ukraine with $100 million in civilian security assistance "to provide essential border security, sustain civil law enforcement functions, and safeguard critical governmental infrastructure".

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    This comes as Russian strikes on Ukraine continue - on Saturday, the western city of Lviv, which has largely been spared so far, came under heavy rocket fire.

    US President Biden is visiting Poland, whose border is just 70km from Lviv.

  6. Lviv strikes were a message to Biden, mayor sayspublished at 03:36 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    Smoke rises in Lviv following a Russian strikeImage source, EPA

    On Saturday the western Ukrainian city of Lviv came under heavy rocket fire, one of several targets in the west to be struck despite Russia saying it would focus on the east.

    Lviv has so far escaped the heavy bombardment seen by other cities, and has become a hub for those fleeing the fighting.

    Lviv's Mayor, Andriy Sadovy, said with US President Joe Biden visiting Poland, the timing was clear.

    "With today's strikes, the aggressors want to say hello to President Biden who is currently in Poland," he said.

    "Lviv is only 70 km from the Polish border and I think the world needs to understand that the threat is very very serious."

  7. Russian general killed near the Ukrainian city of Khersonpublished at 03:11 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    Russian general, Lt Gen Yakov RezantsevImage source, DENIS NASIK/WIKIMEDIACOMMONS

    Russian general Lt Gen Yakov Rezantsev has been killed in a strike near the southern city of Kherson, according to Ukraine's defence ministry

    Rezantsev was the commander of Russia's 49th combined army.

    A western official said he was the seventh general to die in Ukraine, and the second lieutenant general - the highest rank officer reportedly killed.

  8. Biden speech 'moving and deep', Poland sayspublished at 02:41 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    Some reaction to Biden's speech now from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Biden spoke from Poland's capital Warsaw where he said Putin "cannot remain in power".

    "The president of the most powerful country in the world came to Warsaw and spoke very plainly about the Russian aggression", spokeswoman Lukasz Jasina told the BBC.

    "[Biden] said to Russians that there is always time to change a dictator. It was a very moving and deep experience."

    "Putin cannot be accepted back into our world society; he cannot be heard, he is not a partner we trust", Lukasz says.

    Poland shares a border with Ukraine and has played a key role responding to Russia's invasion, taking in more than two million refugees.

  9. Sanctions could be lifted if Russia's forces withdraw - UK foreign secretarypublished at 02:11 British Summer Time 27 March 2022

    UK Foreign Secretary Liz TrussImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Liz Truss's comments echo her US counterpart Antony Blinken's, who has said travel bans and asset freezes are "not designed to be permanent"

    Russian oligarchs, banks and businesses could have sanctions against them lifted if Russia's President Vladimir Putin ends his invasion of Ukraine and commits to "no further aggression", UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said.

    She told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper that the threat of "snapback sanctions" would be retained if the Russian president did attack again.

    The foreign secretary also said that a "negotiations unit" had been established in the UK Foreign Office to aid possible peace talks.

    Russia has shown signs of possibly scaling back its ambitions in Ukraine, with a senior military official saying on Friday that its efforts were now turning to the eastern Donbas region. However the Western city of Lviv, which until now has largely stayed unscathed, came under heavy rocket fire on Saturday.

  10. Band of Ukrainian soldiers give Kyiv residents rare entertainmentpublished at 00:44 Greenwich Mean Time 27 March 2022

    Residents of several apartment blocks in the centre of Kyiv were treated to an impromptu concert by a band made up of Ukrainian soldiers.

    The band performed a few Ukrainian pop music classics as well as the national anthem.

    All entertainment venues have been closed since the start of the Russian invasion and live music has become a rare treat.

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  11. Watch: Emotional concert takes place in Kharkiv metropublished at 00:12 Greenwich Mean Time 27 March 2022

    Musicians in Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv have performed an emotional concert in a metro station, which is being used as a makeshift shelter.

    Kharkiv has been the target of intense Russian bombardment for weeks, leaving residents to take shelter in bunkers and metro stations.

    The concert marked the opening day of the Kharkiv Music Festival.

    You can see a clip below.

    Media caption,

    War in Ukraine: Musicians perform emotional concert in Kharkiv metro station

  12. If you are just joining us...published at 00:11 Greenwich Mean Time 27 March 2022

    Lviv residents shelter from Russian shellingImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Historic buildings in Lviv have become bomb shelters

    If you are just joining us, here are the latest developments:

    Biden's speech: "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power", US President Joe Biden said of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a speech in Poland's capital Warsaw. The White House later said Biden wasn't calling for regime change, but making the point Putin can't be allowed to exercise power over neighbours. The Kremlin said it wasn't for Biden to decide who governs Russia

    Lviv rocket fire: Powerful explosions have been heard in Lviv, with thick black smoke seen rising over the outskirts of the city. Lviv is in the west of Ukraine not far from the Polish border and the city's mayor has said he thinks the Russian air strikes were intended to send a message to Biden. Lviv has become something of a safe haven for Ukrainians escaping the conflict

    Zelensky's speech: Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky has demanded the West steps up military supplies to his country. He said it wasn't only Ukraine at risk and just 1% of Nato's tanks and aircraft are needed to help his forces fight Russia

    Chernobyl fighting: There are concerns over the welfare of staff at Chernobyl's power plant as there hasn't been any staff rotation for nearly a week. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was worried about the pressures faced by Ukrainian staff at nuclear sites seized by Russia

  13. Welcome to our live pagepublished at 00:10 Greenwich Mean Time 27 March 2022

    Hello and thanks for joining us for our continuing coverage of the conflict in Ukraine. Saturday's reporting can be found here.