Ukraine has rejected a Russian ultimatum offering people in the besieged city of Mariupol – where around 300,000 people are believed to be trapped – safe passage out of the port if the city surrenders.
Moscow’s deadline for the Ukrainian forces in the southern city of Mariupol to surrender expired at 5am (02:00 GMT).
The situation in the city, which is encircled by Russian troops and been devastated by shelling, has been described as “Hell on Earth” by an MP there as food and medical supplies run low.
The mayor of Mariupol said that Moscow’s humanitarian promises could not be trusted, vowing that Ukrainian forces would fight on.
Attacks on other Ukrainian cities are continuing, several loud explosions were reported from Kyiv, where authorities said houses and a shopping centre were hit.
