Image source, Reuters

We're been reporting claims in Russian state media that more than 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been taken to Russia - after surrendering at the Azovstal metal works in Mariupol.

The group was previously held in Russian-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.

More than 100 of them are now said to be in Moscow. A law enforcement source is quoted by the Tass news agency as saying there are plans to take more prisoners of war to Russia in future.

Moscow claimed in May that a total of 2,439 fighters had surrendered in the final days of the Azovstal defence. The industrial complex was Ukraine's last pocket of resistance in Mariupol.

An uncertain future awaits the Ukrainians - with a Russian supreme court decision expected later this month on whether members of the controversial Azov battalion are a terrorist group.

Over to Ukraine's southern port city of Kherson - the first to fall in the war - where a Kremlin official has said the plan is to annexe the region to Russia as soon as possible.

"Kherson Region's inclusion into the Russian Federation will be fully-fledged, similar to Crimea's accession," Sergei Kiriyenko, first deputy head of Moscow's administration, was quoted as saying in a report circulated by Russian MP Igor Kastyukevich.

Image source, .

Kiriyenko also said the handout of Russian passports would begin very soon in the city, and would be offered to "every resident of Kherson who desires" Russian citizenship.

There has been talk of a referendum in Kherson since it fell to Russian forces in early March, but UK defence officials warned last month it would "almost certainly" be rigged so Moscow could legitimise its control.

In its most recent intelligence update, external, Britain's Ministry of Defence said Ukrainian forces continued to fight in the region and "recently achieved some success by counter-attacking... including regaining a foothold on the eastern bank of the Ingulets River".

Image source, Reuters

If you're just joining us, here are some of the main headlines so far today:

Prisoner transfer - More than 1,000 Ukrainian fighters who surrendered after the fall of Mariupol have been transferred to Russia for investigation – according to state media. In Ukraine the forces who held up the Russian seizure of the port city for more than two months are seen as national heroes. But in Russia they are viewed very differently and there have been calls from politicians to treat some of them not as prisoners of war, but as war criminals.

The battle for Severodonetsk - Heavy fighting continues in the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, where forces are said to be finding it hard to stave off Russian attacks. But the governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, says "nobody is going to surrender Severodonetsk" and adds Russia is struggling to make significant headway.

Food export discussions - Foreign ministers from Russia and Turkey are discussing the opening of a corridor in the Black Sea for safe agricultural exports from Ukraine. It comes as Russian media reports shipments of grain will resume this week from Berdyansk, a Russian-occupied Ukrainian port.

The opening of a security corridor in the Black Sea for agricultural exports from Ukraine is being discussed this morning by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Ukraine punches far above its weight as a food exporter, contributing 42% of the sunflower oil traded on the global market, 16% of the maize and 9% of the wheat.

In normal times, some countries depend heavily on Ukrainian exports. Western countries have accused Russia of creating the risk of global famine by shutting Ukraine's Black Sea ports, which Russia denies - blaming Western sanctions.

According to Russia's state-controlled Channel One TV, Moscow "stresses that it is not preventing Ukrainian grain exports and rejects the relevant attacks by the West, which is also trying to blame our country for the situation around food security in the world".

And official state Rossiya 1 TV suggests Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the UN have prepared a road map to provide a safe passage for ships carrying grain.

But the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said yesterday any agreement that goes contrary to Ukraine's interests will be rejected.

Meanwhile, grain shipments will resume from Ukraine's Russian-occupied Black Sea port of Berdyansk this week after the completion of work to remove mines, Russia's TASS news agency cites local authorities as saying.

You can read more on the issue of Ukraine's attempts to export its food while at war here.

Image source, .

Image source, Reuters

More now from front-line city Severodonestk - where some 800 civilians are said to have taken shelter from Russian attacks in bunkers underneath the Azot chemicals factory.

The group includes 200 of the plant's workers, reads a statement issued on behalf of the plant's owner.

The employees have remained on-site to "safeguard as best as possible what is left of the plant’s highly explosive chemicals," the press release says.

There was no immediate confirmation of the claims from the Ukrainian government, and it was not possible for the BBC to independently verify the information.

Russia says it now controls most of Severodonestk - a key eastern industrial hub - but Ukrainian troops insist they are holding out.

The image of civilians sheltering in a factory is reminiscent of scenes in Mariupol earlier in the war.

Hundreds of people took refuge in the vast Azovstal metal works, which became the last holdout of Ukrainian resistance in the southern port city.

Image source, .

The governor of Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine, claims "nobody is going to surrender Severodonetsk" - despite "fierce battles" in the city.

Writing onTelegram, Serhiy Haidai said Ukrainian troops were "fighting for every inch of" Severodonetsk and Russian forces were being "restrained" in the area and struggling to make significant headway.

Severodonetsk - the current focal point of fighting - has been under attack for more than a week now. Russia's determination to take it, along with neighbouring Lysychansk, form part of a plan to control the wider Donbas region and eventually the whole of eastern Ukraine.

But Haidai insists Ukraine will continue to hold, even if all the Russian forces "have been thrown into [taking Severodonetsk]".

Image source, Telegram

The family of a British man being held captive by pro-Russian rebels say it is “a very sensitive and emotional time” - following his appearance in an unrecognised court.

Aiden Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire, appeared in court with Shaun Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire, and Moroccan national Saaudun Brahim.

The two Britons are reportedly charged with being mercenaries. But their families say they were in Ukraine's military.

It is feared the court, which is not internationally recognised, could pass the death penalty if it convicts them.

The two of them fought with Ukrainian forces in the months-long siege of Mariupol. They were captured in April.

Both men are said to have lived in Ukraine since 2018.

They appeared in court in territory held by pro-Russian rebels. They stood only to confirm their names and that they were happy for proceedings to continue.

In a statement, Aslin’s family say he is “a much-loved man and very much missed”, and they hope he will be released very soon.

Read more here.

Grim resignation among Donbas fighterspublished at 08:36 British Summer Time 8 June 2022

08:36 BST 8 June 2022

Orla Guerin
Reporting from the Donbas region

Image source, Getty Images

It’s a grinding, attritional war. You get a sense when you speak to fighters here of a grim resignation. They are determined to keep going, but it’s very clear this is an extremely tough battle.

The latest information we have is that Russian forces are in control of most of Severodonetsk – a key target for Moscow – although Ukrainian defensive positions are said to be holding.

The Russians are throwing everything at capturing that city and the twin city of Lysychansk - and they’re also trying to push forward on several other axes towards other towns and cities in this area.

The Ukrainians are managing to hold them off at best. I spoke to one fighter yesterday who has been on the front lines here since 2014, and his assessment was the best they could do for now was buy time. So there is no sense here that there is any kind of victory or counter-offensive imminent.

The Ukrainians are fighting with everything they’ve got. But we are seeing over time - slowly, but pretty steadily - the Russians are increasing what they have captured.

They’re said to control about 95% of the section of the Donbas region that I’m in, which is called Luhansk. And when they finish here, the expectation is that they will move on to try to get the whole of Donetsk: the other part of this region.

From the start, capturing the Donbas has been a key strategic target for President Putin.

When things went well in the capital Kyiv - where the Russians didn’t manage to break through and Ukrainians were so agile in their defence – there seemed to be a moment when the international community took its eye off the ball as the Ukrainians would see it.

There's a feeling the international community didn’t spend time getting heavy weapons in to prepare for the battle in the Donbas, which was always going to come.

Image source, Ukrainian Presidential Press Service

The Ukrainian president has appeared to suggest that the war could burn out when Moscow realises it has no more troops to lose.

"The day will come when the number of losses, even for Russia, will exceed the permissible limit," Volodymyr Zelensky predicted in his nightly video address on Tuesday.

Here are some other key takeaways from Zelensky:

• Ukraine's "absolutely heroic" defence of the eastern Donbas region continues
• There was little change in the front line situation over the previous day - as fierce fighting continues around Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Popasna
• The next winter will be Ukraine's hardest in modern history - and no gas or coal will be sent abroad
• Diplomatic efforts are ongoing as Ukraine bids to join the European Union - and "the ball is in the court" of EU countries
• Ukraine will set up a "Book of Torturers" to act as a record of Russian war crimes during the invasion

Image source, Getty Images

Uber has tweaked its software for the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) in order to help with emergency aid deliveries in Ukraine.

It's hoped that the customised technology - being trialled in the central city of Dnipro - will make deliveries more agile.

Supplies will be moved around using smaller vehicles and more drivers. Agencies say larger lorries are at risk of attack and often struggle to get past damaged roads and buildings.

"It saves us time, it saves us money, it saves us energy," the head of the WFP, David Beasley, told the BBC.

If successful, the system will be rolled out to four more cities.

The WFP says it aims to provide aid to three million Ukrainians a month by the end of June.

Chris Partridge
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

New details have been released of the total amount of US weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine since the conflict started on 24 February.

More than $4bn-worth of military hardware has been given to Ukraine and much of it now is in the country. The US is by far the biggest contributor.

Donated weapons include:

• 6,500 Javelin anti-tank missiles
• 20,000 light anti-armour weapon
• 1,400 Stinger surface to air missiles
• 108 M777 howitzers with 220,000 shells
• 4 HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems
• 121 Phoenix Ghost and 700 Switchblade attack drones
• 200 armoured anti-personnel carriers
• Several hundred Humvee vehicles
• 20 Soviet made Mi-17 helos
• 7,200 firearms with 50m rounds
• 3 AN/TPQ-36 counter battery radars

Equipment mostly ends up in Donbas in the east, where the focus of the fighting is taking place.

Kyiv has repeatedly asked for more weapons to fight off attacks by Moscow, attacks which are being better supplied given their close proximity to Russia's border.

Image source, .

Ukraine's military claims it's successfully "holding back" the Russian assault in Severodonetsk: one of the final pockets of the eastern Luhansk region yet to fall to the occupying force.

Russian attacks and Ukrainian counter-attacks have been reported in the city over the past several days during fierce fighting - and analysts say it's difficult to know which army is in control of which territory.

In their morning update, the Ukrainian armed forces give further details about the latest fighting in the east:

• Ukrainian positions have come under "intense fire" around Avdiivka, Novopavlivska and Zaporizhzhia
• Storming operations are underway around Slovyansk
• Russia has also intensified its aircraft use around Bakhmut - another target city
• 11 Russian attacks have been repelled over the previous day, and three tanks have been destroyed among other wins for Ukraine

It was not possible for the BBC to independently verify the details.

Image source, .

Image source, Getty Images

Ukrainian defences are "holding" in the flashpoint eastern city of Severodonetsk despite attacks from the Russians in three directions, says the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) in its morning update.

It's unlikely that either side has taken significant territory there over the past day, the MoD adds.

The update goes on to say:

• While Russia focuses its attacks on the eastern Donbas region, it remains on the "defensive" elsewhere
• Ukrainian forces have had "some success" in their counter-attacks in the Kherson region, and have regained a foothold to the east of the Ingulets River
• Both sides are struggling to free up forces for fresh assaults while maintaining defensive lines across a 500km (310-mile) front

New satellite imagery published by the firm Maxar Technologies claim to show the recent bombardment of towns in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

Pictures gathered on Monday appeared to show damage in and around Severodonetsk - the current focal point of fighting - with Russian weaponry pointed towards the key industrial city.

Image source, Maxar Technologies

Image source, Maxar Technologies

Image source, Maxar Technologies

Image source, Maxar Technologies

Joe Inwood
Reporting from Kyiv

More than a thousand fighters who surrendered after the fall of Mariupol have been transferred to Russia for investigation – according to state media.

To Ukrainians they are national heroes. The marines, border guards and Azov fighters who held up the Russian advance for more than eighty days – buying valuable time for Ukraine to defend itself.

But in Russia, they are viewed very differently, especially members of the Azov Battalion, a unit which once had connections to the far right.

After their capture there were calls from Russian politicians for them to be treated not as prisoners of war – but as terrorists and war criminals.

There are fears that their transfer for "investigation" could be the start of this process and the end of Ukrainian hopes that they will be returned through prisoner exchanges.

Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine managed to carry out an exchange of dead - including those killed defending Mariupol. Each side handed over 160 bodies - a rare moment of truce in this bloodiest of conflicts.

The bodies of some Ukrainian fighters killed defending the key south-eastern port of Mariupol have arrived in Kyiv, soldiers' families have said.

They say this was part of a swap with Russia, with each side receiving 160 bodies. Moscow has not commented.

The fighters spent weeks holed up in the city's Azovstal steelworks. In May, the survivors were taken prisoner.

Mariupol was captured by Russia in May after a months-long siege and heavy shelling that virtually wiped out the city. Ukrainian officials estimate that tens of thousands of people, including children, may have been killed.

Read more here.

We are restarting our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. Here's a roundup of the latest developments:

• More than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers captured in Mariupol have reportedly been transferred to Russia, according to Itar-Tass, a state owned Russian news agency
• The news agency quotes a Russian law enforcement source who said the soldiers were being moved to Russia for investigation
• The same source said more prisoner transfers would follow but there has been no confirmation from the Ukrainian side
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously said he thought more than 2,500 Azovstal defenders - who also include border guards, police and territorial defence - were being held by Russia
• Seperately, heavy fighting continues in the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, and Ukrainian forces are said to be finding it hard to stave off Russian attacks
• However, Luhansk's regional governor Serhiy Haidai says Russia still hasn't taken control of the city

Image source, Getty Images