Summary

  • Ukrainian officials say Russia has launched a major assault on the besieged Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol

  • A senior Ukrainian MP says he has been told Russian forces have entered the site - we cannot verify this

  • It's the last part of the city held by Ukrainian forces - at least 200 civilians are thought to be trapped there

  • As many as 600 people were killed when Russia bombed a theatre in the city in March, new analysis suggests

  • Meanwhile, Hungary says it will veto an EU proposal to ban Russian oil imports by the end of the year

  • The plan was put forward by the European Commission as part of a new package of sanctions against Moscow

Live Reporting

Edited by Andrew Humphrey

  1. More evacuation efforts needed - Ukraine official

    Hundreds still remain in bunkers in the besieged Azovstal steelworks, Denys Shleha of Ukraine's National Guard said on Sunday.

    He added that at least two more evacuation efforts would be needed to get everyone out.

    The site has seen one of the most destructive sieges in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and local officials say many Ukrainian troops and civilians are holed-up in the plant.

    Civilians are helped over rubble at the steelworks plant, which has been under heavy Russian bombardmentReuters

    Civilians are helped over rubble at the steelworks plant, which has been under heavy Russian bombardment

  2. 'We didn't see any sunlight for two months'

    Ukraine war: Evacuation of Mariupol civilians under way

    Dozens of civilians have been evacuated from the southern port city of Mariupol after weeks of being under siege in the Azovstal steelworks plant.

    One woman said she had not seen any sunlight for two months, adding that she thought she would not survive.

    Russia said dozens of civilians have arrived in a village it controls.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a large group is also on its way to Ukraine-controlled Zaporizhzhia,

    "The first group of about 100 people is already heading to the controlled area," he tweeted. "Tomorrow [Monday} we'll meet them in Zaporizhzhia. Grateful to our team! Now they, together with UN, are working on the evacuation of other civilians from the plant."

  3. Ukrainian refugee arrives at friend's flag-painted house in Cambridge

    A woman has painted her house in the colours of the Ukrainian flag to welcome her Ukrainian friend to the UK.

    Rend Platings secured a visa for Kristina Korniiuk, 34, from Kyiv, under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

    The pair have been friends for three years and were reunited at Mrs Platings's home in Cambridge on Sunday.

    Mrs Platings - who said she was "really relieved" that her friend had arrived - painted her house blue and yellow "to make a statement" about the Russian invasion.

    You can read more on this here.

    Rend Platings's house in Cambridge is painted in the colours of the Ukraine flagPA Media

    Kristina Korniiuk (left), from Kyiv, was reunited with her friend Rend Platings at Mrs Platings's Cambridge home