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Mariupol appears to be close to falling under Russian control after a fierce battle for the main port city. The Russian Defence Ministry says it has cleared urban areas of Ukrainian forces and issued an ultimatum "surrender or die" today morning. If the surrender becomes complete, Mariupol would be Russia's first capture of such a large country.

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Ukraine's President Volodymir Zelenskiy has acknowledged that the situation in Mariupol remains "extremely severe" but refuses to accept surrender. He warned that peace talks would fall apart if Russia killed the remaining forces in the city. "The elimination of our troops, our people (in Mariupol) will end any negotiation," the Ukrainian leader said.

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Zelenskiy spoke Saturday to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who praised the "bravery" of Ukraine's defenders and promised to "continue to provide the means for Ukraine to defend itself."

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Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has travelled to Kiev to resume his efforts in connection with peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The report, based on sources without yet being disclosed, said Abramovic had met Ukrainian negotiators in an effort to save the heated talks.

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Russia has resumed missile attacks scattered in Kiev and Western cities in Ukraine. So far, dead civilians have also been reported in Kharkiv and the capital.

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A future sixth round of EU sanctions on Russia will target oil and banks, in particular Sberbank, according to European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen. The EU has so far spared Sberbank because it, along with Gazprombank, is one of the main channels for payments for Russian oil and gas.

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Ukraine's president warned that the world "must prepare" for access to nuclear weapons on Russia's part. He told reporters in Kiev that "we should not wait for the moment to come."

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The number of people evacuated from Ukrainian cities through humanitarian corridors fell significantly on Saturday from a day earlier. A total of 1,449 people were evacuated, fewer than 2,864 who managed to escape on Friday.

Burimi: The Guardian