What is stopping Ukraine's troops from destroying Russia's artillery?published at 14:38 British Summer Time 31 March 2022

14:38 BST 31 March 2022

Orla Guerin
BBC News, Kyiv

Paul Ackrill asks what prevents the military from destroying the Russian artillery that is shelling their cities?

Independent military experts point to one possible factor.

They say Russia is firing artillery from tracked vehicles, that can quickly move location once they have fired.

That makes them harder to target.

Ukrainian forces have told us they also are constrained because of the presence of civilians in built-up areas from which Russia is firing.

They don’t want to risk killing their own people while targeting Russian artillery.

This has been an issue in the towns like Bucha, outside Kyiv, where some civilians remained despite the presence of Russian forces.

Around Kyiv, Ukrainian forces have managed to push the Russians back, limiting the scope for them to use artillery.

Because the city centre is out of reach, President Putin’s men have been unable to bombard Kyiv as they have Mariupol, and have resorted to air strikes.

However, Ukrainian air defences have been working well. Several times here in Kyiv we have heard the massive bang when a Russian missile is brought down - sometimes with casualties on the ground.

In general, Ukraine has been pleading for more and better air defence systems to help it curb the Russian threat.

And the constant demand here is for Nato to impose a no-fly zone.

We have met civilians fleeing the shelling of Irpin, who pleaded for Nato to “close the skies”.

However, few here believe there is any chance of that, due to Western fears of becoming embroiled in a wider war.

Are there any anti-war Russians? Are they safe?published at 14:34 British Summer Time 31 March 2022

14:34 BST 31 March 2022

From Roanna, Brighton

Jenny Hill
BBC News, Moscow

Yes there are, but it’s difficult to assess how widespread such dissent really is.

Speaking out against the war - or even telling the truth about what President Putin continues to insist is only a "special military operation" - can result in a criminal conviction and possibly a jail sentence.

It’s reported that more than 15,000 people were detained for taking part in almost daily street protests during the first three weeks of the invasion.

Most independent journalists and many Russians who oppose the invasion have fled the country for places like Turkey, Armenia and Georgia.

The Kremlin calls them traitors and some of those who have stayed have become the target of abuse or attacks.

Image source, Getty Images

Turning away from our Q&A for a minute, Russian President Vladimir Putin is speaking in Moscow after signing a decree saying foreign buyers must pay into rouble accounts for Russian gas from Friday. He warns contracts will halted if these payments are not made.

After new sanctions were brought against Russia, Putin says that the "economic war" against Russia started years ago.

We'll bring you more from the Russian president as it comes in.

Are people more likely to overthrow Putin the longer war goes on?published at 14:16 British Summer Time 31 March 2022

14:16 BST 31 March 2022

Jenny Hill
BBC News, Moscow

Damien Fieldhouse in Somerset asks if people in Russia are more or less likely to overthrow Putin the longer the conflict goes on for?

Less likely.

The Kremlin comes down hard on those who oppose the war and many Russians who think that way have fled. What were almost daily street protests have dwindled.

State opinion polls have to be viewed with some cynicism, but they consistently show majority (and growing) support for Vladimir Putin and for his "special military operation".

Given that most independent Russian media outlets have been blocked or forced to close, there are few alternatives to state media, which sticks to the Kremlin narrative – which is that Russian troops have only gone in to Ukraine to defend the Russian-speaking population from attacks and “genocide” perpetrated by Ukrainian nationalists and neo-Nazis.

If you only watched state TV you might well conclude that this is indeed an honourable and necessary operation to save Russian speakers and Russia itself from an aggressive Ukraine which, with the help of America, is developing biological weapons and is desperate to get its hand on nuclear ones.

Sanctions are starting to have a noticeable effect with prices rising, but the Kremlin frames this as another example of western aggression. At this stage it’s hard to see any public dissatisfaction evolving into revolution.

Image source, Kremlin Press Service via Getty Images

Is it possible that Ukraine may be able to 'win' this war militarily?published at 14:14 British Summer Time 31 March 2022

14:14 BST 31 March 2022

Orla Guerin
BBC News, Kyiv

Harry Tinsley asks: in light of the recent counter-attacks that Ukraine has undertaken and assuming that diplomatic talks between Ukraine and Russia fail, is it possible that Ukraine may be able to “win” this war militarily?

In military terms, it’s a case of so far, so good for Ukraine. The country has surprised President Putin, and the world, by mounting skilled and stubborn resistance against a larger, better equipped army.

Equally, Russian forces have surprised the world by being disorganised and inept. We saw an example of Ukraine’s success in battle at a frontline position outside Kyiv last week. Ukrainian forces told us the Russians had tried to break through four times in the past month, and each time had been held back.

The evidence was there in the form of about a half dozen burnt-out Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers. Russia’s invasion is now in its sixth week, and it has failed on the key fronts - the Russians have not managed to enter the capital Kyiv, to topple the government, or to take any major city - bar Kherson - in the South.

Russia has destroyed more than it has captured. That’s a poor return on a costly invasion. That said, it’s too early to predict the outcome here.

We may be at the start of a long war. Russia says it will focus now on the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. It may have little choice, having failed to make gains elsewhere. But in the future, it could resume trying to capture more territory elsewhere.

President Putin’s fate is probably tied to the success or failure of the invasion. He may continue to pour in troops, and armour and heavy weapons over the longer term.

Image source, Reuters

Footage has emerged on social media that shows the extent of the destruction in the southern port city of Mariupol after weeks of Russian attacks.

The first 18 seconds show very clearly the damage to the Mariupol theatre which was bombed while hundreds of people sheltered in the building and the basement below. The word "children" in can be seen written in Russian on the ground.

The BBC has verified the footage, but its source is unknown.

Ukrainian officials estimate that 300 people died at the theatre. Russia has denied carrying out the attack, but it has been widely condemned, with the US citing it in its assessment that members of Russia’s forces have committed war crimes, external.

Mariupol's mayor says 5,000 people have been killed in the city, and 90% of its buildings damaged, since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Your questions answered on Ukrainepublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 31 March 2022

14:01 BST 31 March 2022

Thanks for all your great questions on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In the next 10 minutes, our reporters Orla Guerin in Kyiv. and Jenny Hill in Moscow, will be answering all the queries we've received.

Stay with us as we bring you their answers.

Image source, Reuters

Details of how customers from countries Russia considers "unfriendly" are to buy gas in roubles may be disclosed later on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

On Wednesday, the German government said it had asked for written clarification about how the payments would work after Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that payments from Europe could be made in euros to Gazprom Bank, which would then convert them into roubles.

After a phone call with Putin on Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said he believed payments would still be made in euros and dollars.

Russia had previously said that "unfriendly" countries - including EU nations, the UK and the US - would have to pay for their gas in roubles from 31 March, but appeared to later soften its stance saying rouble payments would be introduced gradually.

A video has emerged on social media which shows cars carefully driving around what appear to be landmines.

The road is thought to be the E373 near the village of Potashnya, north-west of Kyiv.

The BBC cannot independently verify who placed the mines or why, but we asked a military analyst for his view.

Justin Crump, chief executive of the risk assessment company Sibylline, was formerly a British Army tank commander.

Crump says they appear to be soviet era TM-62M anti-tank mines, carrying around 7.5kg of explosives and are relatively effective at damaging armoured vehicles.

He says the mines explode only when subjected to significant pressure.

Both sides are using mines in this area to prevent battlefield movement but, regardless of who laid the mines, Crump says: "This is a highly ineffective minefield, placed out mainly for effect."

He says a tank with a mine plough could deal with this particular minefield in minutes.

Image source, Getty Images

We've been hearing about more sanctions from the UK government - a Russian TV anchor and the managing director of state-backed news channel Russia Today are among those who have been targeted.

Downing Street said these latest sanctions were a sign that "we want to continue to further ratchet up the pressure" on Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime.

"We know that countries can adapt to sanctions over time so it's right that we keep moving forwards on this," the prime minister's official spokesman said.

He added it was equally right to to place sanctions on those who are seeking to "misinform people at a mass scale" by pushing falsehoods and misleading some of the Russian people.

Who's just been sanctioned? Find out here.

Image source, EPA

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has been speaking to reporters in Brussels.

He says Russian forces are not withdrawing but "regrouping", adding that Nato expects "additional offensive actions".

"Russia is trying to regroup, resupply and reinforce its offensive in the Donbas region" in eastern Ukraine, he says.

And Russia is continuing to maintain pressure on other cities, Stoltenberg adds.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere says he's asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to urgently pull his troops out of Ukraine and allow humanitarian access.

The two men had an hour-long conversation earlier, according to a Norwegian statement cited by the Reuters news agency.

Following the call, Stoere said he had “very limited expectations”, but added that “nothing should be left untried in the situation we are now in”.

Norway shares a border with Russia in the far north, and is a member of the Nato military alliance.

Image source, Getty Images

If you are just joining us here is a recap of today's news lines:

On the ground:

• A convoy of buses is on its way to the besieged port city of Mariupol to evacuate civilians after Russia agreed to open a safe corridor
• The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is ready to lead the operation on Friday if all parties agree to exact terms
• Shelling appears to have continued around Kyiv and Chernihiv despite Russia saying it would scale down its operations in those regions

On the international stage:

• The head of the UK's spy agency GCHQ has said that Vladimir Putin is not being told the truth by his advisers and that he made a strategic miscalculation in invading Ukraine
• The US has also said Putin has been "misled by the Russian military" but Moscow has hit back saying that the Americans simply don't know what is happening in the Kremlin
• The UK has announced further sanctions against Russian media and military figures
• Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is planning a new offensive in the east region and expressed doubt over Russia's claims to be reducing its operations around the capital

Image source, Reuters

We're now hearing some reaction from the Kremlin on allegations made by US intelligence that Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, is being misled by his advisers about Ukraine and sanctions.

At his daily conference call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Moscow-based journalists that neither the US State Department, nor the Pentagon, have real information about what’s happening.

"They simply don’t understand what’s happening in the Kremlin," he said.

"They don’t understand President Putin, they don’t understand how decisions are taken and they don’t understand the style of our work."

Peskov added it was worrying because "such total misunderstanding leads to wrong decisions which have bad consequences".

At least 13 people have been injured in shelling in the eastern region of Donetsk, the head of the regional military administration says.

Pavlo Kyrylenko says the Russian assault continued in the central part of the region, with 11 civilians in Mariinsky, including four children, taken to hospital. A further two people were injured in Ocheretyn, he added.

He also claimed phosphorus was used in the cities of Maryinka, Krasnohorivka and Novomykhailivka. These claims have not been independently verified by the BBC.

Kyrylenko says authorities were continuing to deliver drinking water and food to settlements on the front line but urged people to evacuate, saying: "Evacuation is temporary. The most important thing now is to save lives."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using phosphorus bombs in a call with Nato leaders last week.

The highly flammable chemical white phosphorus is not banned in itself, as it is often used as a smokescreen on the battlefield, but the use of such incendiary weapons against civilian targets is prohibited by the Geneva Convention.

Image source, Getty Images

The UK has announced further sanctions against prominent Russians, including media figures and military leaders.

The latest names added to the sanctions list include TV host Sergey Brilev and Kremlin funded TV-Novosti, which owns the Russia Today news channel.

Aleksandr Zharov, chief executive of Gazprom-Media, Alexey Nikolov the managing director of RT and Anton Anisimov, the head of Sputnik International Broadcasting were also sanctioned.

Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev is also among the 14 new additions to the sanctions list.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Russia's war on Ukraine had been based based on "a torrent of lies".

She added: "Britain has helped lead the world in exposing Kremlin disinformation, and this latest batch of sanctions hits the shameless propagandists who push out Putin's fake news and narratives."

Hugo Bachega
BBC News, Lviv

Image source, Reuters

For a second night since Russia pledged to dramatically reduce its military operations in the northern city of Chernihiv, residents there say the city has again been hit by more shelling.

Chernihiv has been effectively surrounded by Russian forces, with no electricity, running water and gas. About 140,000 civilians remain in the city, authorities say.

One resident told me: "I could hear explosions during the night.

"I was sleeping in the basement with my husband and two kids, so we didn’t hear them so clear. But I woke up at 01:00 because of one of the explosions. [Last night] wasn’t as loud as the night before.

"Now [Thursday morning] probably because of the rain, the shelling has stopped. A few times there were some explosions."

Another said: "This night was quieter than the previous one. I even managed to sleep… Then at 05:00 there was heavy shelling again. It was loud, windows were shaking. I saw in the distance the sky turn orange, but it was far away."

The BBC cannot independently verify the claims. The residents are not being identified as they remain in the city.

Jack Hunter
BBC News

Ukraine has accused Russia of damaging or destroying at least 59 religious sites across the country since its invasion began.

Moscow denies targeting civilian infrastructure, but the BBC has identified a number of religious sites that have suffered heavy damage.

They include an Orthodox cathedral in the besieged city of Mariupol, which has had its crowning dome ripped apart.

Image source, Getty Images

Described by Mariupol's tourist office as the most beautiful place on the city's left bank, St Michael's Cathedral offered commanding views of the Sea of Azov. But its windows are shattered and gaping holes have been blown through its brickwork.

Another church, in the small village of Yasnohorodka, about 40km (25 miles) west of Kyiv, has also been badly damaged. Two shells blew apart its bell tower, while machine-gun fire smashed its windows and doors, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church says.

Image source, Getty Images

Read more about the damage to Ukraine's religious sites here: In pictures: The Ukrainian religious sites ruined by fighting

Image source, Reuters

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been addressing both the Australian and Dutch parliaments today.

He told the Australian parliament that new and stronger sanctions are needed to increase pressure on Russia. He said the world should have punished Moscow in 2014 for its invasion of Crimea.

Image source, EPA

He later addressed the Dutch parliament, and urged the Netherlands to boycott Russian energy exports.

Every dollar that Russia gets from EU member states for supplying raw materials, according to Kyiv, goes directly to the military industry and to the killing of Ukrainian civilians.

"We must do more than in the first month of the war. We can't wait another 36 days. So many people are dead. We want to survive, free of tyranny," he said.

Earlier, Zelensky also cast doubt on Russia's claims that it is de-escalating fighting in his country, calling it the precursor to new strikes in the eastern breakaway Ukrainian region of Donbas.

Hugo Bachega
BBC News, Lviv

Image source, Getty Images

We've got some more detail now on the convoy of buses heading to Mariupol to help trapped civilians leave the city after Russia agreed to open a humanitarian corridor.

A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross says: “We confirm the convoy is moving from Dnipro to Zaporizhzhia, and we desperately hope it can enter Mariupol tomorrow”.

It'll also take aid packages and medical supplies to the port city.

They added: "For logistics and security reasons, we'll be ready to lead the safe passage operation tomorrow, Friday, provided all the parties agree to the exact terms, including the route, the start time, and the duration.

"It's desperately important that this operation takes place. The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it."