Andrew Harding
Reporting from Donbas

A clash of loyalties is dividing opinion among residents in Bakhmut - a town on the front line in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region.

The notion that Ukraine stands resolutely united in opposition to Russia's invasion may hold true for much for the country.

But here in the Donbas, there is a large ethnic-Russian minority, a painful history of eight years of separatist conflict with Russian-backed militias and - particularly for an older generation - a powerful nostalgia for the USSR.

Read the full story here.

Ukraine's journalists have been honoured by America's Pulitzer Prize board.

The reporters were given a "special citation" during a ceremony in New York on Monday.

The Pulitzer board praised them for their "courage, endurance and commitment to truthful reporting" on the war.

At least seven reporters - including three from Ukraine - have been killed since Russia launched its assault in February, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Image source, Getty Images

The wife of a Ukrainian soldier fighting in Mariupol's embattled Azovstal steelworks says he told her the situation was growing increasingly desperate, with water supplies dwindling and hundreds of wounded soldiers trapped.

In an interview with the BBC, Yuliia Feosiuk said that when she last spoke with her husband, he asked her to search for articles "on how to live longer without water as long as possible".

Additionally, Feosiuk said her husband reported that about 700 wounded soldiers were trapped in the plant and the bodies of dead soldiers were being kept in refrigerators.

"But they [the refrigerators] are not working now, because there's no electricity," she said. "The mood is not very good because of the situation."

Feosiuk said that despite the grim conditions at Azovstal, her husband "knows he's doing the right thing".

"That is the price of freedom, and the price of independence for Ukraine," she said. "I'm proud of my husband, and all the soldiers at the Azovstal."

In his nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russians would meet the same fate of all Ukraine's previous invaders over the centuries.

In typically colourful language, Zelensky said: "On February 24, Russia launched an offensive. Treading on the same rake. Every occupier who comes to our land treads on it. We have been through different wars. But they all had the same finale.

"Our land was sown with bullets and shells, but no enemy was able to take root here. Enemy chariots and tanks drove through our fields, but it did not bear fruit.

"Enemy arrows and missiles flew in our skies, but no one will be able to overshadow our blue sky."

Image source, Reuters

There are "definitely" more than 100 civilians still inside Mariupol's besieged Azovstal metal works, the regional head has said.

Pavlo Kyrylenko said evacuation efforts were difficult because of intense pressure from Russian troops.

The vast Azovstal plant remains Ukraine's last holdout in the decimated southern city following weeks of bombardment.

Earlier on Monday, the defence ministry said the Russians were conducting "storming operations" at the site - something the BBC was not able to verify.

In recent days, Ukraine's deputy prime minister suggested all women, children and the elderly had been cleared from Azovstal.

Image source, Getty Images

It's past midnight in Ukraine. Time for a roundup of what happened on Monday.

On the ground:

• Intense fighting continues in the country's east. Serious battles are reported around Rubizhne and Bilohorivka - both in the Donbas region
• However, a senior US defence official says Russia has made slow progress in the east over the past few days - and virtually no gains at all in the south
• Ukraine remains in control of Kharkiv, the same official says
• The port city of Odesa has been subject to fresh Russian missile strikes - with regional authorities saying two people were injured
• Earlier in the day, European Council President Charles Michel had to take shelter from another strike while visiting Odesa

Beyond Ukraine:

• President Biden has signed a bill that aims to streamline American military aid to Ukraine and other East European allies
• European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest - to try to win support for proposed EU sanctions on Russian fuel
• The leaders of Germany and France have met in Berlin - with French President Emmanuel Macron proposing a new political order to speed up co-operation between the EU and other, non-EU European nations like Ukraine
• Western leaders have dismissed President Putin's latest attempts to justify the war - which were made during a speech marking Russian victory in World War Two

Image source, Getty Images

Ukraine is losing $170m every day that it is cut off from the sea, the country’s prime minister has said.

Denys Shmyhal said the national export capacity in Ukraine had been more than halved.

"Ninety million tonnes of agricultural produce, which Ukraine planned to export to countries in Asia, Africa and Europe have been blocked," said Shmyhal, speaking in the southern city of Odesa alongside Charles Michel, the European Council President.

The US on Monday said it would suspend tariffs on Ukrainian steel for one year, citing the damage the war has done to the industry.

In 2018, then-US President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel imports from countries including Ukraine.

The US agreed to ease the Trump-era tariffs on UK steel and aluminium shipments in March.

This followed earlier deals with the European Union and Japan over the controversial taxes.

Image source, Getty Images

US President Joe Biden has signed a bill that aims to streamline American military aid to Ukraine and other Eastern European allies.

The Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 will ease requirements for lending or leasing US weapons and other material.

The measure evokes World War Two's Lend-Lease Act, which allowed the US to fast-track $50bn in aid to allies fighting Nazi Germany.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Biden said: "The cost of the fight is not cheap. But caving to aggression is even more costly."

On Friday, the Biden administration announced a $150m military package for Ukraine, bringing the total US commitment to $3.8bn.

More now on the latest Russian strike in Odesa.

The regional military head says three missiles struck the southern port city.

Two people were injured and taken to hospital, Serhiy Bratchuk wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Five buildings were destroyed, he added.

Odesa is under curfew until 05:00 (02:00 GMT) on Tuesday following several Russian attacks in recent days.

Earlier on Monday, European Council President Charles Michel had to take shelter from one such missile strike while in the city.

Jessica Parker
Reporting from Brussels

Image source, Reuters

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says “further work is needed” on agreeing new energy sanctions against Russia – following talks with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Von der Leyen travelled to Budapest this afternoon to meet Orban.

Hungary has opposed EU plans for a phased-in ban on Russian oil imports – the key element of the bloc’s sixth sanctions package.

Some other member states have also been seeking concessions.

Slovakia and the Czech Republic, for example, have been seeking more time to get off Russian oil. And Brussels is abuzz with reports and rumours about the horse-trading that’s going on behind closed doors.

Von der Leyen’s dash to see Orban suggests Hungary is seen as the key country to win round, but relations between Budapest and Brussels are already strained.

Let’s see if it really is a hard "no" from Hungary or whether the EU can offer enough sweeteners to get something substantial across the line. Failure to do so would be embarrassing for the bloc and a source of anger for those countries who take the toughest line against the Kremlin.

We've been reporting on the huge military parade held in Moscow to mark Victory Day, but a much smaller event was also held in the battered city of Mariupol in the south of Ukraine.

After weeks of bombardment and intense fighting, the strategic port city is now entirely in the hands of Russian forces and Russian-backed separatists, except for the Azovstal steelworks, where the remaining Ukrainian fighters are besieged but refusing to surrender.

A small number of people turned out with balloons the colours of the Russian flag to mark victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

A ceremony was led by Denis Pushilin, the separatist leader of eastern Ukraine’s self-declared Donetsk People's Republic.

A large banner in the colours of the St George's Ribbon, a symbol associated with the Russian military and used as a sign of support for the Kremlin, was carried through the streets.

Ukrainian officials say 90% of the city has been destroyed or damaged by Russian attacks, but the march passed through an area that appeared to be largely unscathed.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

Elsewhere in the city today, these children were photographed walking past damaged buildings. The city was once home to 450,000 people, a large proportion of them Russian-speaking.

Tens of thousands are still there, after sheltering in basements for weeks under siege and bombardment with water, power and communications cut off.

Image source, Reuters

Some Ukrainians have been transferred to Russia against their will, according to the United States Pentagon spokesman.

John Kirby said they had seen indications of the movements and described it as "unconscionable".

The BBC has spoken to more than a dozen families of people who have been taken hostage by Russian soldiers and moved to Belarus and Russia.

Ukraine says at least 6,000 civilians have been deported, including instances of children being separated from their parents.

Caroline Davies
Reporting from Odesa

Ukrainian authorities have confirmed there had been a missile attack on Odesa.

Three loud explosions were heard from the city centre. The first blast was strong enough to shake windows and set off nearby car alarms.

The authorities have not confirmed any further information.

Sophie Williams
Reporting from Lviv

On the ground in Ukraine, as we reported earlier today, there have been claims Russian troops have asked for lists of empty apartments in the city of Kherson.

Ihor Kolykhaiev, the mayor of Kherson, has confirmed this to the BBC but says he is unsure what the list will be used for. He is unclear if the apartments will be offered to Russian military.

However Ukraine’s military intelligence claims the apartments will house troops and intelligence agents.

There were also rumours the Russian military could be preparing for a referendum however Kolykhaiev denied this, claiming it is forbidden to hold one during martial law.

Last week I spoke with one Kherson resident who said people were running out of medicine and residents were selling food from their cars.

There is a sense of nervousness at rumours the Ukrainian banking system will be switched off.

There have reportedly been some attempts to install the Russian rouble in some areas but they allegedly failed.

Image source, EPA

Earlier today, President Vladimir Putin made several claims about Ukraine and Nato during his speech at a military parade in Moscow.

These include the assertion that Ukraine says it wants to get hold of nuclear weapons.

But our Reality Check team has found no evidence of the Ukrainian government expressing an intention to acquire such arms.

They've fact-checked this and other statements made by the Russian leader today. You can read their article here.

Image source, Reuters

France's President Macron has proposed a new political community in light of the Ukraine crisis - an idea described as "very interesting" by his German counterpart Olaf Scholz.

Visiting Berlin, Macron spoke of speeding up cooperation between the EU and other, non-EU European nations to build peace and stability. He said the status could apply to Ukraine as well as nations that did not want to join the 27-country bloc.

Macron has said that it could take Ukraine decades to be confirmed as an EU member.

The European Commission will "aim to deliver its opinion" next month on Ukraine's bid for membership, the body's chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted earlier, external.

Talks with Hungary over a proposed EU ban on Russian fossil fuel imports saw progress but more work is needed, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says.

As we reported earlier, she travelled to Budapest this afternoon. She has now tweeted, external: "This evening's discussion with PM Viktor Orban was helpful to clarify issues related to sanctions and energy security".

Von der Leyen also said she would hold a video conference with other countries in the region.

The EU has faced some opposition on a sixth package of sanctions from a number of member states - including Hungary - who rely heavily on Russian energy.

Image source, EPA

The Pentagon has delivered its latest briefing on fighting in Ukraine - claiming that Russia was making slow progress in its invasion.

A senior US defence official said:

• Russian gains in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region had been uneven and incremental over the past few days
• The result was "single-digit kilometre kind of progress" for Moscow
• The Kremlin's troops have been trying to advance from Izyum in the direction of Lyman - and to assault Sloviansk
• As for the situation in the south - there was "virtually no progress" for Russia there, as many of the troops that had been committed to the Mariupol offensive were struggling to advance northwards as far as the town of Velyka-Novosilka
• Despite Russian efforts to capture the city, Ukraine was still in control of Kharkiv, and its troops were still successfully resisting attacks there and elsewhere in the country
• Among other remarks, the official also said 85 of the 90 howitzer weapons America had pledged for Ukraine were now in the country

Here's what's been happening this afternoon, if you're just joining us or need a recap:

• Russian forces have continued to shell Ukrainian towns in the eastern Donbas region

• The southern city of Odesa, which has seen several Russian missile strikes over the past few days, is under curfew until 05:00 (02:00GMT) on Tuesday and European Council President Charles Michel had to take shelter while visiting the city because of a missile strike
• France's Emmanuel Macron has met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin and says Franco-German co-operation is at the heart of Europe and especially important when it comes to the Ukraine conflict
• Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for immediate efforts to unblock the country's ports so wheat can be exported overseas
• Earlier, President Putin marked Russia's Victory Day and reiterated his justification for attacking Ukraine
• Polish protesters threw red liquid over the Russian ambassador in Warsaw

Jessica Parker
Reporting from Brussels

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in Hungary to meet Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the EU struggles to agree new energy sanctions against Russia.

The European Commission’s chief spokesperson said the pair will “discuss issues related to European security of energy supply, external.”

Member states have so far failed to agree on a sixth package of sanctions – the sticking point is a proposed, phased, ban on Russian oil imports.

EU ambassadors met over the weekend but there was no breakthrough.

Earlier Hungary’s Secretary of State for International Communication, Zoltan Kovacs, reiterated Hungary wouldn’t support the sanctions, external saying it would be “like an atomic bomb” for the Hungarian economy.