More than 200,000 chiildren were among 1.2 million Ukrainians deported from the country against their will since the beginning of the war, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman has said.

Appearing on national television, Lyudmyla Denisova accused Moscow of wanting to make the children Russian citizens:

Denisova did not provide any evidence to support her claims and the BBC has not been able to verify them.

Moscow has denied intentionally targeting children during the conflict and says that it offers humanitarian assistance to those who want to refugees who want to leave the country.

In Stuttgart, Germany, the agriculture ministers of the G7 countries have been meeting to discuss the impact of the Russian invasion on global food supply.

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says Russia's actions to block grain exports pose a big threat: "The hybrid war is not only by tanks, and air missiles, not only with fake news and propaganda, but also it's a food war which we can see around the world already.

"The corn being kept in Ukraine because Russia's not allowing millions of tonnes of corn being exported in the world is a big, big danger. So therefore it's really good that we're focussing now at this session on the global food crisis which is showing up at the horizon."

Find out the background to this story here.

Sophie Williams
BBC News, Lviv

Image source, Ukrainian Airborne Forces Command

Russian troops have made three unsuccessful attempts to build bridges across the Siversky Donets river in eastern Ukraine, says the governor of the Luhansk region.

Ukrainian defenders beat back the Russians each time they tried to put down pontoon bridges - destroying around 70 units of heavy weaponry and equipment over three days, said Serhiy Haidai.

He said his side had also thwarted Russian efforts to disguise their operations.

“We have eliminated Russian speedboats and helicopters which they used to cover their attempts [to build bridges],” he told the BBC.

With their efforts, Russian troops were attempting to encircle the towns of Lysychansk, Severodonetsk and Hirske, and cut off Ukrainian forces, said Haidai.

The governor described the situation in the wider Luhansk region as “very complicated”, especially when it came to evacuating civilians.

“There is shelling and bombing in all cities and villages."

Russia has not commented on the failed river crossings. UK defence intelligence says a Russian battalion lost almost all its armoured vehicles in the attempts to cross the river.

Image source, .

Image source, Reuters

As fighting rages in the east of Ukraine, there's been another signal that aspects of life in the capital Kyiv are becoming more normal.

From Sunday, an overnight curfew that is currently in place will start one hour later - at 23:00 - says the city's mayor, former heavyweight boxing world champion Vitali Klitschko.

The restriction will continue to last until 05:00.

Public transport will also run for longer hours from Monday, Klitschko says.

But he's urged civilians to continue following curfew rules - as the threat of Russian rocket attacks remains.

Image source, EPA

Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but "only without any intermediaries", the Ukrainian president told Italian TV channel Rai 1.

Zelensky said he would speak only with Putin, "on the terms of dialogue, not on the terms of ultimatums".

He said "the first clear step" to holding talks would be when Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine.

He added that the more cases of "blatant brutality" by Russians that appear, such as those in Bucha, Borodyanka or Mariupol, the less tolerant he will be to any negotiations with Russia.

Ukraine and Russia haven't held face-to-face talks since 29 March and Moscow’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, has since said peace talks were being held remotely.

Image source, Ukraine Military/Reuters

Russian troops have completely destroyed 101 healthcare facilities and damaged a further 570 since the beginning of the war, the chairman of Ukraine's parliamentary health committee Mykhaylo Radutskyy has said on Telegram.

The MP claims the attacks were not accidental and that Ukrainian healthcare facilities have been targets for Russia's military throughout the conflict.

"The Russian military is conducting targeted fire on medical infrastructure. They no longer hope to seize our territories but want to destroy all medical facilities with missile strikes and bombing. Leaving our citizens without hospitals, without maternity hospitals, without medical care, and without doctors is part of the genocide of the Ukrainian people," he added.

Officials say three people, including a child, were killed in a Russian strike on a maternity and children's hospital in the city of Mariupol in March.

Image source, Reuters

A Russian soldier accused of killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian has appeared in court in Kyiv today, ahead of the first war crimes trial since the start of the war.

Vadim Shishimarin, 21, was brought to court for a preliminary hearing, accused of killing an unarmed 62-year-old civilian.

Shishimarin, who confirmed that he was a Russian serviceman, faces possible life imprisonment on charges of war crimes and premeditated murder.

"One of the military servicemen ordered the accused to kill a civilian so that he would not report them," according to a statement from prosecutor Iryna Venediktova's office on Thursday.

Shishimarin will tell the court at a later date whether or not he denies the charge, his lawyer Viktor Ovsyannikov said.

The judge said the court will reconvene on 18 May.

Russia said it had no information about the trial, and has repeatedly denied any involvement in war crimes.

Frank Gardner
Reporting from Estonia

Separated from their families, strip-searched, then questioned for hours, Ukrainian men say they have faced intimidating interrogations on the border by officers from the FSB, Russia’s security service.

Up to 300 Ukrainians a day have been coming through this Baltic border crossing point, making it one of the most popular exit routes for Ukrainians trying to reach the West.

Young men in particular are examined for any paramilitary tattoos or for bruises on the shoulder from firing a weapon.

Many of those entering Estonia have fled the devastated city of Mariupol and some have been held in internment camps.

Once across the border here, they are directed to one of six volunteer centres that help them resettle.

Narva is said to be the largest Russian-majority town in the European Union and not everyone here is critical of the Kremlin. In one volunteer centre, I met two elderly Russian-speaking women from Kharkiv who blamed America for the war and for supplying arms to Ukraine.

But many others prefer to keep silent, fearing retribution for their relatives in Russia if they speak out against the war and investigation by the Estonian authorities if they voice sympathy for President Putin.

Theirs is a tricky path to tread.

Image source, Maxar Technologies/REUTERS

As we reported earlier, another Russian vessel has been sunk near Zmiinyi (Snake) Island in apparent Ukrainian missile strikes.

Now, Ukraine's intelligence chief, Kirill Budanov, says the country's troops will fight for the island "as long as necessary", adding that they will re-capture it from Russians.

Snake Island is a strategically important area for both Ukraine and Russia, as it allows access to the Black Sea for open trade routes, importing weapons and in terms of Russia's ability to carry out a tactical naval landing.

"Anyone who controls the island can block the movement of civilian ships in all directions to the south of Ukraine at any time," Budanov said.

A report that was printed in a Finnish newspaper saying Russia may cut gas supplies to Finland as soon as Friday appears to be fake, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Most likely, this is another newspaper hoax," he said, adding that Gazprom remained a reliable gas supplier.

Finnish newspaper Iltalehti reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources, that the country's politicians had been warned that Russia could halt gas supplies to its neighbour on Friday.

Russia has said it will be forced to take "retaliatory steps" over its Finland's move to join Nato, amid a surge in public support for Nato membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia. Until now, it has stayed out of Nato to avoid antagonising its eastern neighbour.

Image source, .

James FitzGerald
BBC News

Image source, Ukrainian Airborne Forces Command

We're continuing to look into that story of a bungled crossing of the Siversky Donets river by Russian troops - who came under fire from Ukrainian defenders.

Security expert and former UK serviceman Justin Crump says the Russian bridging effort “failed spectacularly”. But he says Ukraine’s claim to have wiped out more than 1,000 men is probably overstated.

Speaking to the BBC, the CEO of security consultancy Sibylline Ltd estimates that more like 140-180 Russians were killed.

He explains that 70 or 80 vehicles reportedly destroyed in the Ukrainian attack were unlikely to have been filled with infantrymen – but were instead being used to scope out the area and lay down pontoon bridges.

This particular operation is evidence of Moscow’s tactic of “reconnaissance by fire”, he explains – which means “driving forwards till someone shoots at you”.

The Kremlin’s troops appear to have been attempting to cut off the Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk - but Crump acknowledges there is a lot of uncertainty around the facts.

Image source, .

He suggests the Russian battalion was picked off over a period of days during the last week - with the Ukrainians using precision artillery. However, the Russians may have destroyed some of their own vehicles to deny their enemy any equipment.

The Siversky Donets river is of huge strategic value to both sides, Crump explains. Russia controls bridging points at Izyum and further downstream – while Ukraine holds a middle stretch.

But heavy losses here do not necessarily mean that Russians have not managed crossings nearby, Crump says - citing evidence of fighting on the Ukrainian-held south/west side of the river.

What’s more, he says, the Russians remain “determined” to use such tactics in order to encircle the likes of Severodonetsk and steadily gain ground in the east.

“To some extent, they’re throwing corpses into the river until they can walk across on corpses,” he says.

Russia has not yet commented on the alleged losses.

If you're joining us, here's a quick round-up of the latest developments on the war in Ukraine.

• Russia is believed to have lost an entire battalion of its troops in a failed attempt to cross the Siversky Donets river

• The EU has pledged another €500m (£425m) in military assistance for Ukraine
• And the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was confident a deal could be reached in the coming days over a ban on buying Russian oil
• G7 leaders are meeting in Germany to discuss the war in Ukraine and its impact. France's foreign minister said international leaders need to prepare for the conflict to last, and consider its long-term impact to food security
• Also speaking at the G7 summit, the UK's foreign secretary urged foreign world leaders to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin by imposing further sanctions on Russia and by supplying Ukraine with more weapons

• The UK has announced new sanctions against Putin's financial network and his inner circle, including his ex-wife and cousins
• Meanwhile, President Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Kyiv is blocking peace talks
• Fighting between Russia and Ukraine in the infamous Snake Island continues. Another Russian vessel in the region has been sunk by apparent Ukrainian missiles and Ukraine has vowed to fight for the island as long as necessary
• In Ukraine, Russian forces have carried out a missile strike on an oil refinery in the industrial city of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine, destroying its production capacity and fuel tanks, the country's defence ministry has said

Image source, .

The UK has announced new sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s financial network and his inner circle, including his ex-wife and cousins, the country's Foreign Office (FCO) says.

Putin's official assets are modest, with his lifestyle funded "by a cabal of family, friends and elites", whom he rewards with state positions and wealth in return for "undying loyalty", the FCO said.

"We are exposing and targeting the shady network propping up Putin's luxury lifestyle and tightening the vice on his inner circle. We will keep going with sanctions on all those aiding and abetting Putin's aggression until Ukraine prevails," Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.

Some of the individuals named include:

• Alina Kabaeva who is said to have a close personal relationship with Putin
• Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, Putin's ex-wife and former First Lady of Russia
• A number of cousins, including Igor and Roman Putin

Image source, Ukrainian Airborne Forces Command

As we’ve been reporting, Russia is believed to have lost an entire battalion of its troops in a failed attempt at crossing the Siversky Donets river.

The river flows through both the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine - which have recently been Russia’s main military target.

Despite the losses at the Siversky Donets river crossing, Moscow's forces appear to be making gains in the area:

• The UK Ministry of Defence says Russia has been concentrating much of its military effort on Izyum and Severodonetsk, two cities near the location of the failed river crossing

• Luhansk's regional military administration head Serhiy Haidai says Russian troops have stormed Rubizhne and two other territories in the outskirts of Severodonetsk in an attempt to encircle the major city

• Russian forces are likely to launch an attack on Severodonetsk in the coming days, the The Institute for the Study of War said in its war analysis
• The MoD says Russian forces have withdrawn from Kharkiv, to the north, and will likely redeploy to the Siversky Donets river to replace troop losses

Image source, .

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has told the German chancellor that it is Kyiv and not Moscow which is blocking peace talks.

The Kremlin's readout of the telephone conversation with Olaf Scholz came just before Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba - who is currently in Germany - told reporters he felt Russia didn't have the appetite for either peace or security talks.

Putin's conversation with Scholz also saw him repeat his justification for the invasion - which is referred to as "a special military operation" - and claim the civilians hiding in the steelworks in Mariupol were being held by Ukrainian forces.

The civilians had taken cover in the steelworks to hide from attacks on the city by Russia.

Image source, Ukrainian Airborne Forces Command

More now on the failed Russian attempt to navigate the Siversky Donets river, after Ukraine successfully launched an attack to prevent the navigation.

Russia began its crossing attempt on 8 May, transporting two companies of soldiers and 30 units of equipment, including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers, according to Ukrainian information service InformNapalm.

As soon as they crossed, Ukrainian forces destroyed the pontoon bridge in the water, and Russian troops "fell into the trap", it said.

The Russian military suffered heavy losses and many troops tried to escape and swim to the other shore but the Ukrainian military opened fire on them, it added.

It reported that a tank that tried to drive on to the pontoon bridge in the water was fired on and "rolled over" on its side, and others were destroyed.

More than 70 units of Russian military equipment were reported lost as a result of the unsuccessful crossing and Ukraine claims more than 1,000 soldiers could have been killed. However both sides regularly report inflicting losses on each other that experts warn are inflated.

Russia has not commented on the attack. The BBC is unable to independently verify the details at this stage.

The European Union has pledged another €500m (£425m) in military assistance for Ukraine, the Reuters news agency reports.

Previous EU packages have funded military equipment and other provisions such as first aid kits and fuel.

The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was also quoted by Reuters saying he was confident a deal could be reached in the coming days over a ban on buying Russian oil.

The 27-nation bloc has so far been unable to agree an embargo - with resistance coming from countries including Hungary, which is among Russia's top fuel buyers.

And here's footage of the aftermath of that failed attempt by Russian forces to cross the Siversky Donets River.

The footage, from Ukraine's defence ministry, has not been independently verified by the BBC.

Image source, Reuters

We've been reporting Russia's failed attempts to cross the Siversky Donets river, near Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces are reported to have launched an attack to prevent Russian forces navigating the river.

British military intelligence says a Russian battalion lost almost all its armoured vehicles when Ukrainian forces shelled temporary floating bridges that Russian forces were using.

Ukrainian officials have claimed more than 1,000 soldiers could have been killed, but this number has not been verified and it remains unclear when the attack took place.

Ukrainian military first tweeted, external about the attack on Wednesday, though other messages were shared on social media and Telegram before this, purporting to show the attack.

Image source, Reuters

Ukraine's defence ministry posted images from the scene on social media showing burn-out tanks along the river banks., external

The UK's Ministry of Defence says the incident reveals the pressure Russian commanders are under to make progress in the Luhansk region.

Russia has yet to comment on reports of the attack.

Image source, .

Russian forces have carried out a missile strike on an oil refinery in the industrial city of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine, destroying its production capacity and fuel tanks, the country's defence ministry has said.

It also said its forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 aircraft in the Kharkiv region.

It comes as Ukraine says its forces have recaptured villages from Russian troops north and north-east of Kharkiv, pushing them back towards the border.

The Russian military fired heavily on the town of Dergachiv in the region, where a humanitarian headquarters was based, its city council said. Two people were reportedly killed and four wounded in the attack.

"In this regard, there will be no humanitarian aid today," the Dergachiv City Council said in a statement.

A Russian rocket also hit the territory of Kharkiv airport, and shelling was carried out in the Saltivka region, injuring three people, Kharkiv's regional governor Oleg Sinegubov said.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify theses claims.

Image source, .