UKRAINE WAR: WHAT TO KNOW

The Kremlin accused the West of preventing a “quick” end to Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine by supplying weapons and intelligence to the country.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden have agreed in a call to not recognise any Russian territorial gains in Ukraine, a German spokesman said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Russian army is “still ready” to give safe passage to civilians trapped in Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks, where Ukrainian forces are making a last stand.

Intelligence provided by the US has helped the Ukrainian military target several Russian generals since Moscow’s invasion, the New York Times reported.

Nato will increase it’s presence around Sweden’s borders and in the Baltic sea while a potential application to join the alliance is processed, Nato secretarygeneral Jens Stoltenberg told a local broadcaster. Sweden and Finland are expected to make a decision about whether to apply to join Nato this month.