Russia-Ukraine war highlights: Zelensky urges world to send more heavy weapons

As many as three school buses filled with evacuees from Ukrainian city of Mariupol arrived in Zaporizhzhia - located in southeastern part of the strife-torn country, on Thursday after crossing through territory held by Russian forces, AFP reported.

A Ukrainian official raised the possibility of a Ukrainian airstrike against the strategically important bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland, reported AP. 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged the world to send more heavy weapons as Russia increases attacks. 

As many as 19 Ukrainians were released from Russian captivity Thursday Ukraine's deputy PM Iryna Vereschuk said in a Facebook post.

Russia on Thursday announced a travel ban on 61 Canadian citizens, including a number of officials and journalists, in response to sanctions imposed over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine.

Over 7.7 million people internally displaced by Russia's war in Ukraine, reports UN

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Thursday that Russia was not achieving its goals in its invasion of Ukraine and that Western sanctions were partly the reason for that.

Biden says US sending another $800M in military support for Ukraine's 'frontlines of freedom' in defence against Russia.

Denmark's prime minister on Thursday said her country would give further military aid worth $90 million to Ukraine and support further sanctions against Russia.

No possibility to evacuate civilians from Azovstal plant, says the mayor of Mariupol. 

A meeting of the UN cultural agency's World Heritage Committee scheduled to have been hosted by Russia in June has been postponed indefinitely amid war. 

Japan PM kishida, New Zealand PM Ardern demand Russia's immediate withdrawal from Ukraine.

Britain on Thursday added 26 new designations to its list of sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian war, including on military figures and defence companies, reported Reuters. 

A senior Ukrainian official is demanding that the Russian military open a humanitarian corridor from the Azovstal steel plant, the last Ukrainian stronghold in the strategic port city of Mariupol, reports AP. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin hails 'successful liberation' of Mariupol.

Russia controls all of Mariupol except Azovstal plant, reports news agency AFP citing defence minister.

Ukraine says 9 bodies found outside Kyiv, some 'with signs of torture', reports news agency AFP. 

The Indian Navy’s operational planners are studying the sinking of the missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, by two Ukrainian anti-ship cruise missiles on April 14 with the focus on how to protect Indian warships from anti-ship ballistic missiles like the Chinese DF-21. The last Russian flagship sunk was in the Battle of Tsushima by the Japanese imperial navy in 1905, 117 years ago. Read More

Russian forces are advancing from staging areas in Donbas towards Kramatorsk, which continues to be hit by rocket attacks, a British military update said on Thursday.

A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows 54% of Americans think Biden has been “not tough enough” in his response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Thirty-six percent think his approach has been about right, while 8% say he’s been too tough.

The Biden administration imposed fresh sanctions on Russia -- including on a cryptocurrency miner -- as security agencies from the US and other countries warned the Kremlin is looking at options for cyberattacks.

The Luhansk governor said Russian forces now control 80% of the region, which is one of two regions that make up the Donbas in eastern Ukraine.

Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's eastern border continues and fighting in the southeastern Donbas region is intensifying, the British military said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's deputy prime minister said an agreed humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from Azovstal had not worked as planned, blaming Russian forces.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday reiterated China's opposition to unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction," and said that "de-coupling" and pressure tactics such as cutting off of supply chains will not work with peace efforts in Ukraine.