Paul Adams
BBC diplomatic correspondent

Image source, Reuters

This is Olaf Scholz’s first visit to London since being appointed German chancellor last year. In his brief time in office, dominated by events in Ukraine, he’s already presided over a sea change in Germany’s approach to Russia.

He’s sharply increased defence spending, gone along with EU sanctions and agreed to supply Ukraine with weapons. But in Boris Johnson, he’ll meet a man who wants him to go further and faster.

Germany has just agreed to the latest round of EU sanctions, which includes a ban on the import of Russian coal, but Johnson will be urging the chancellor to speed up moves against Russian gas and oil.

That’s a much tougher prospect. Germany depends on Russia for a quarter of its energy needs. Weaning itself off that kind of dependence, Berlin says, cannot happen overnight without wrecking the German economy.

Image source, Pavlo Kyrylenko

The state rail company says more than 30 people have been killed and over 100 others wounded in a Russian rocket strike on Kramatorsk train station.

Kramatorsk was one of the easternmost stations still operating in Ukraine, and the governor of Donetsk said thousands of people were there at the time, trying to get on to trains out of the area.

The head of Ukrainian rail said two rockets had hit the station. Kramatorsk was widely known as being one of the main evacuation routes out of eastern Ukraine. Details of trains leaving the city were being posted by local authorities.

More on the reports of a missile strike on Kramatorsk railway station in eastern Ukraine.

The Donetsk regional governor says police and rescuers have reported that dozens of people have been killed or wounded, after rockets hit the station.

Writing on Telegram, Pavlo Kyrylenko said thousands of people were at the station at the time, as residents from the Donetsk region were being evacuated to safer regions in Ukraine.

A railway station used to evacuate civilians in eastern Ukraine has reportedly been hit by two Russian rockets, causing casualties, according to the head of Ukraine's state railway company.

In a message on Telegram, the chairman of Ukrainian Railways, Oleksandr Kamyshin, wrote that a train station in the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk was hit.

He added, "there are victims".

Kramatorsk city council has warned people to stay in shelters.

Details are still emerging but we will bring you more information as we get it.

The end of the beginning?published at 09:05 British Summer Time 8 April 2022

09:05 BST 8 April 2022

Jeremy Bowen
Reporting from Kyiv

Image source, REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Maybe the main event is going to start in east of the country.

The Russians have been grinding on there much more effectively than they did around the city where I am [Kyiv].

Internationally, we're into a new Cold War, 21st Century style.

As Nato involvement deepens, if more deadly weapons are sent into Ukraine, the risks of escalation undoubtedly exist.

Of course, the Ukrainians are arguing the risks of not increasing aid to them are much worse, because allowing any kind of Russian victory would actually embolden Putin in the future.

Image source, .

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has gone to Ukraine, the most senior Western leader to go to Kyiv since Russia invaded on 24 February.

She is due to have talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and is heading to Kyiv by train from south-eastern Poland with Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

They're not the first Western leaders to travel to Kyiv. Last month, the prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia met Mr Zelensky, in what he called a "powerful expression of support for Ukraine".

The speaker of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, visited Kyiv last week.

The Slovak leader tweeted that Friday's meeting would involve proposals to help the Ukrainian president and prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, in creating an EU reform team and helping to transport Ukrainian grain, including wheat, as well as "increase the use of [a] humanitarian hub".

Ukraine's main south-coast ports have been blocked by Russia's invasion, so it is struggling to export one of its most important resources to countries including China, Turkey, Egypt and Indonesia.

Before the war, 98% of its grain was exported via the Black Sea and Ukraine is now having to rely on rail routes.

More than 1,000 train wagons were stuck at the border with Poland this week because of staff shortages and other issues.

Alice Evans
BBC News

Image source, .

Russia is shifting its focus away from the north and towards the area in the south and east known as Donbas.

Land warfare analyst Nick Reynolds, who works for the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank has been filling us in on what the next few weeks of the war in Ukraine might look like.

Was Ukraine's foreign minister accurate when he said the fighting in Donbas could be reminiscent of World War Two?

"Yes I think that’s accurate," Reynolds said. "With all the forces freed up from the north of Ukraine… we’re going to see a clash of arms on European soil that hasn’t been seen for generations."

Could Ukraine actually take back territory?

There are a lot of unknown factors here, Reynolds says.

Many Ukrainians will be buoyed up by the withdrawal of Russian forces in the north, but in the south and east “the map has still been slowly turning red”, he says, and that's even before any reinforcements have arrived from the north.

So Russia certainly still has some forwards momentum in the south and east, he says.

How much difference could Western arms make?

The weapons Western countries have so far sent to Ukraine have been game-changing but Nato has handed over a "significant amount of its stocks - and that supply was finite", Reynolds says.

Western arms will be "absolutely essential" in the coming weeks but it's hard to know how they can get them to where they need to go, he adds.

Ramping up industrial production of sophisticated weapons such as Javelins, NLAWs and Stingers is not easy, he says, as they have complex supply chains, He believes Western governments are struggling to keep up with demand.

Switchblade drones could "start to change things on the ground within a short timeframe" – but there's "very little else" that could do so, he adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Russia has admitted suffering "significant losses of troops" in Ukraine, as the invasion enters its 44th day.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told British channel Sky News the casualties were "a huge tragedy for us".

He said he hoped Moscow would reach its war goals "in the coming days".

Russia has pulled troops away from Kyiv and shifted most of the focus of its war to eastern Ukraine - but the fighting shows no signs of ending.

Mr Peskov's comments followed Russia's expulsion from the United Nations Human Rights council on Wednesday.

Read more here.

Russian troops have now "fully withdrawn" from northern Ukraine and moved back north to Belarus and Russia, says the UK Ministry of Defence.

Some of those units will be moved to the east to fight in the Donbas, but many of the forces will need "significant replenishment" before being deployed, the MoD has said.

"Any mass redeployment from the north [is] likely to take at least a week minimum," the Ministry says in its morning briefing., external

Image source, .

Ukrainian forces have been retaking areas in the north previously occupied by Russian forces and say they're discovering more and more atrocities.

Last week's discovery of bodies strewn in the streets in Bucha prompted global outcry and accusations of genocide.

Overnight, Ukraine President Zelensky said that in the town of Borodyanka, the situation was "significantly more dreadful" than in Bucha.

The BBC has found clear evidence Russian troops rounded up Ukrainian civilians in and around Obukhovychi, a village north west of Kyiv on the way to Belarus, and used them as human shields.

Russia has repeatedly denied that its forces have carried out atrocities.

Image source, .

Joe Inwood
Reporting from Slovyansk

There has been heavy shelling and rocket fire overnight in the east of Ukraine. The BBC's Joe Inwood has been with Ukrainian troops defending Luhansk Oblast.

Throughout the night, air raid sirens sent people in the city of Slovyansk running to their basements and shelters.

Rockets and heavy shelling could be heard in this Russian speaking city – the place where the Donbas separatist movement started.

Across the region, Russian forces tested Ukrainian defences – and pounded their cities from afar.

It is the knowledge of what's to come that’s led to the governor of Luhansk calling on all civilians to evacuate to safer regions – in the centre or west of Ukraine.

That task was made much harder by the destruction of a section of railway on Thursday – leading to huge queues at the station in Kramatorsk.

It has now been repaired, with trains moving again.

With their failure to take Kyiv, Russian troops are now focused on the Donbas.

The coming weeks could be decisive in the direction of this war.

Image source, .

In recent hours Odesa officials have said the southern city was hit by missile strikes.

The Russians had launched strikes on the port city from the Black Sea, they said.

"As a result... infrastructure facilities in the Odesa region were affected," city officials wrote on Telegram. , external

We'll keep you posted once we find out more details.

Image source, REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Good morning to our readers in the UK. If you're just joining us, or need a recap, here's what's happened so far:

In Ukraine:

• Russian troops have now "fully withdrawn" from northern Ukraine, says the UK Ministry of Defence. Some of those units will be moved to the east to fight in Donbas, the MoD has said
• Ukraine's President Zelensky says the destruction being uncovered in the recaptured town of Borodyanka is worse than what has been seen in Bucha
• The BBC has found clear evidence Russian troops rounded up Ukrainian civilians in and around Obukhovychi, a village north west of Kyiv on the way to Belarus, and used them as human shields
• A video has emerged which purports to show Ukrainian forces shooting and killing a captive Russian soldier. It's something the BBC has been trying to verify and analyse here
• The mayor of Dnipro has urged women, children and the elderly to leave the central city, as fears grow of intensified fighting in eastern Ukraine

In international diplomacy:

• Russia has been suspended from the Human Rights Council in a UN vote because of its alleged war crimes. The vote saw 93 countries in favour of it, but many countries also voted against or abstained
• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba asked Nato allies meeting in Brussels to provide "weapons, weapons, weapons" and said help was needed in “days not weeks”
• Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was "ready to do more" on supplying military equipment. Speaking after the summit, he said members "realise and recognise the urgency".

Thank you for joining our live coverage so far. This is Tessa Wong and Frances Mao in Singapore signing off. Our colleagues Nathan Williams and Jack Burgess in London will continue to bring you the latest.

Russian troops have now "fully withdrawn" from northern Ukraine, moving back north to Belarus and Russia says the UK Defence Ministry.

Some of those units will be transferred to eastern Ukraine to fight in the Donbas. But many of the forces will need "significant replenishment" before being deployed.

"Any mass redeployment from the north [is] likely to take at least a week minimum," the ministry said in its morning briefing., external

It added that Russian shelling of cities in Ukraine's east and south continued and Russian troops had advanced south from the strategically important city of Izyum.

Ukraine forces say that as they have retaken towns near Kyiv previously occupied by Russian forces, they're discovering more and more atrocities.

Last week's discovery of bodies strewn in the streets in Bucha prompted global outcry and accusations of genocide.

Overnight, Ukraine President Zelensky said that in the town of Borodyanka, the situation was "significantly more dreadful" than in Bucha.

He didn't provide further details but hundreds of people are feared killed in the strikes. As we reported earlier, 26 bodies have been pulled from the rubble so far.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Vikas Pandey
BBC News Online, India Editor

A familiar script has played out as India once again abstained from a UN vote on Russia-Ukraine war.

It’s clear now that Delhi is not willing to compromise on what it calls its neutrality stand over Ukraine.

It has not directly criticised Russia and it’s also exploring ways to pay for Russian oil to circumvent sanctions.

But the bigger questions is how long the West will continue to perceive India’s stand as neutral.

Some strong statements have already come from officials in Washington about India’s ties with Russia.

One official recently said that the consequences of India’s “more explicit strategic alignment” with Russia will be “significant and long term”.

India appears to be standing by its time-tested ally Moscow but it also needs the West for its broader geopolitical ambitions.

But balancing both is going to be a diplomatic nightmare for Delhi.

Read more from Vikas on why India is not criticising Russia for the Ukraine invasion.

Image source, Reuters

Meryl Sebastian
BBC News, Delhi

India has explained why it was among the 58 countries that abstained during Thursday's UN vote to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council, after the killings in the Ukrainian town of Bucha.

"Since the inception of the Ukrainian conflict, India has stood for peace, dialogue and diplomacy. We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives. If India has chosen any side, it is the side of peace and it is for an immediate end to violence," India said.

The country has so far abstained on eight UN votes to censure the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

But on Wednesday it issued its strongest statement on the war when it condemned the Bucha killings and supported the call for an independent investigation.

India's neutral stand on the war - in line with its longstanding non-aligned foreign policy - has come under pressure from others, as the West increases economic sanctions on Russia.

Russia is India’s biggest defence supplier.

On Thursday, Delhi said it was focused on stabilising its economic ties with Moscow and working to devise a payment mechanism to settle trade.

"It is not talking about increasing...it is about stabilising it because this (economic) relationship exists and it's in our interest to make sure some of this economic activity continues, and we are trying to see how we can keep that stable," a ministry spokesman said.

Here's the latest daily assessment, external of Russia's military campaign from the US-based Institute of War thinktank, after 42 days of war.

• Russia's main effort now is eastern Ukraine, after withdrawing its forces from the area around Kyiv in the north
• Their troops have claimed to have captured central Mariupol, but Ukrainian forces retain control of the city's critical port
• Still, the analysts predict Mariupol - a key city in the south - may fall to Russia in coming days
• Russia is preparing to launch a major offensive on eastern Ukraine in the Donbas region, with the arrival of troop reinforcements re-routed from the north
• However Russia is still struggling to fill its losses in its army
• Western sanctions are "likely" having success in disrupting Russia's military-industrial base

A reporter for Fox News who was seriously injured in an attack that killed two of his colleagues in Ukraine has tweeted a photo of himself.

Benjamin Hall described his injuries and thanked the people who worked to save his life three weeks ago.

In an earlier tweet, Hall paid tribute to two others who died that day - cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski and journalist Oleksandra Kuvshinova, who was also known as Sasha.

Frances Mao
BBC News

Australia has sent off the first three of 20 armoured military trucks it's gifting to Ukraine, following a request from Ukrainian President Zelensky last week.

The heavily fortified Bushmaster vehicles will be used to transport soldiers and civilians in the war zone - they won't be used for offensive attacks.

Zelensky delivered a video address to Australia's parliament last week - the 20th nation he spoke to - thanking the country for its steadfast support so far.

Australia has committed over A$190m (£108m; $142m) in military and humanitarian aid and enacted several sanctions on Russian individuals and oil imports.

"Mr President, the people of Australia stand with Ukraine in your fight for survival," said Prime Minister Scott Morrison in response to Zelensky last week.

The Australian leader has repeatedly declared that liberal democracies must band together to defend freedom and "the right to live free of coercion, intimidation and the brute fist of force".

He said Australia honoured Zelensky as a "lion of democracy".

Image source, AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE

Image source, AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE

Image source, Getty Images

Good morning to our readers in Asia. If you are just joining us, or need a recap, here's what's happened so far.

In Ukraine:

• Ukraine's President Zelensky says the destruction being uncovered in the recaptured town of Borodyanka is worse than what has been seen in Bucha
• Russian troops were heard discussing killing civilians in Bucha, in messages intercepted by German intelligence, according to German media
• The BBC has found clear evidence Russian troops rounded up Ukrainian civilians in and around Obukhovychi, a village north west of Kyiv on the way to Belarus, and used them as human shields
• A video has emerged which purports to show Ukrainian forces shooting and killing a captive Russian soldier. It's something the BBC has been trying to verify and analyse here
• The mayor of Dnipro has urged women, children and the elderly to leave the central city, as fears grow of intensified fighting in eastern Ukraine.

In international diplomacy:

• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba asked Nato allies meeting in Brussels to provide "weapons, weapons, weapons" and said help was needed in “days not weeks”
• Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was "ready to do more" on supplying military equipment. Speaking after the summit, he said members "realise and recognise the urgency"
• Russia has been suspended from the United Nations Human Rights Council by other members, because of its alleged war crimes

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted Russia had sustained "significant losses" in Ukraine
• The European Union has approved an embargo on Russian coal, which is due to take effect in August

Thank you for joining our live coverage so far. This is Jude Sheerin in Washington DC and Max Matza in Seattle signing off. Our colleagues Tessa Wong and Frances Mao in Singapore will continue to bring you the latest developments.