Good morning. Vladimir Putin has hailed the “liberation” of Mariupol after his defence minister informed him that Moscow controlled the entire city apart from the Azovstal steel plant.
The Russian leader also ordered his forces to cancel plans to storm the plant, the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the city, and instead to continue blockading it.
“There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities… Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through,” he said.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson warned that any peace talks over Ukraine are likely to fail as he compared holding talks with Vladimir Putin to negotiating with a crocodile.
Here’s what happened overnight – and you can follow the latest updates in our live blog.
1. Russia tightens grip on Luhansk
The governor of Luhansk said Russian forces now control 80 per cent of the region, which is one of two regions that make up the Donbas in eastern Ukraine.
One of Russia’s stated goals is to expand the territory in the Donbas under the control of Moscow-backed separatists.
Before Russia invaded on February 24, the Kyiv government controlled 60 per cent of the Luhansk region.
Governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russians, who renewed their offensive this week in eastern and southern Ukraine, have strengthened their attacks in the Luhansk region.
After seizing the town of Kreminna, Haidai said the Russians are now threatening the cities of Rubizhne and Popasna. He has urged all residents to evacuate immediately.
2. Putin hails ‘liberation’ of Mariupol
Vladimir Putin has hailed the “liberation” of Mariupol after his defence minister informed him that Moscow controlled the entire city apart from the Azovstal steel plant.
“Mariupol has been liberated,” Sergei Shoigu told Putin during a televised meeting. “The remaining nationalist formations took refuge in the industrial zone of the Azovstal plant.”
Putin said the so-called “liberation” was a “success” for Russian forces, but ordered Shoigu to call off the planned storming of the Azovstal industrial area, dismissing it as “impractical”.
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“I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,” Putin told Shoigu. “I order you to cancel it.
“There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities… Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot pass through.”
Putin also called on the remaining Ukrainian fighters in Azovstal to surrender, saying Russia would treat them with respect and would provide medical assistance to those injured.
3. Johnson: Negotiations with Kremlin are doomed
Boris Johnson has said any peace talks over Ukraine are likely to fail as he compared holding talks with Vladimir Putin to negotiating with a crocodile.
The Prime Minister said dealing with the Russian president is like “a crocodile when it’s got your leg in its jaws”, and said it is vital that the West continues arming Ukraine.
“It is very hard to see how the Ukrainians can negotiate with Putin now given his manifest lack of good faith,” Mr Johnson said.
“His strategy, which is evident, is to try engulf and capture as much of Ukraine as he can and perhaps to have some sort of negotiation from a position of strength.”
4. Bodies of nine civilians found with ‘signs of torture’
The bodies of nine civilians, some showing signs of torture, have been found in the town of Borodyanka outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, a senior police official said.
“These people were killed by the occupiers and some show signs of torture. I want to emphasise that these people were civilians. The Russian military knowingly shot civilians who did not put up any resistance,” Andriy Niebytov, the head of the police in the Kyiv region, said.
The pullback of Russian forces from towns and villages around Kyiv left a trail of civilian deaths, beginning with discoveries in Bucha, that have led Ukrainian officials to accuse Russia of genocide.
Niebytov said police had discovered two graves around Borodyanka. In one grave, three people – including a 15-year-old girl – were discovered and a second grave held the bodies of six people, he said. All of them were locals, he added.
5. Russian troops advancing towards Kramatorsk, MoD says
Russian forces are advancing from staging areas in the Donbas towards Kramatorsk, which continues to be hit by rocket attacks, the Ministry of Defence said.
High levels of Russian air activity continue as it seeks to provide close air support to its offensive in eastern Ukraine, and to suppress and destroy Ukrainian air defence capabilities, the MoD tweeted.
“Russia likely desires to demonstrate significant successes ahead of their annual 9th May Victory Day celebrations. This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date,” it said.
