Mariupol

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, April 21, declared that Ukraine's Mariupol has been 'successfully liberated'.

Russia on Tuesday called on Ukrainian forces to "immediately lay down arms".

On Saturday, the 9th of April, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

Russia and Ukraine will restart face-to-face peace negotiations on Monday, amid warnings that the situation in the besieged city of Mariupol is deteriorating. 

Ukrainian officials in the strategic port city of Mariupol said Friday some 300 people could have died in last week's Russian strike on a theatre where hundreds were sheltering.

"Super powerful" bombing reported in the besieged port city of Mariupol as Ukrainian authorities make a new bid to take civilians from the city. 

Ukrainian officials defiantly rejected a Russian demand that their forces in Mariupol lay down arms and raise white flags Monday.

Russia has given an ultimatum to Ukraine to respond by the early hours of 21st March on surrendering Mariupol.