TOP HEADLINES

• "The situation is very difficult" in Mariupol, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "Our soldiers are blocked, the wounded are blocked. There is a humanitarian crisis… Nevertheless, the guys are defending themselves."

• Zelenskyy also threatened that the "elimination" of the last Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol "will put an end to all negotiations" with Moscow. 

• Moscow said its warplanes had struck a tank repair factory in Kyiv. An explosion was heard and smoke seen in the southeastern Darnytskyi district. The mayor said at least one person had died and medics were fighting to save others.

• The Ukrainian military said Russian warplanes that took off from Belarus had fired missiles at the Lviv region near the Polish border and four cruise missiles were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.

• The governor of the eastern Kharkiv province said at least one person had been killed and 18 were injured in a missile strike. In Mykolaiv, a city close to the southern front, Russia said it had struck a military vehicle repair factory.

• More than 1,900 civilians have been killed since the start of the war, according to the latest United Nations stats, although the UN warns figures are likely "much higher".  

• Moscow has barred entry to Russia for UK's PM Boris Johnson, foreign secretary Liz Truss and defense secretary Ben Wallace. In a statement, the Kremlin said the move was "in view of the unprecedented hostile action by the British Government, in particular the imposition of sanctions against senior Russian officials." 

• Russia's warplanes bombed Lviv and its missiles struck Kyiv on Saturday, as Moscow followed through on a threat to launch more long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities after the sinking of its Black Sea Fleet flagship.

• Ukraine's richest man has pledged to help rebuild Mariupol, where he owns two vast steelworks that he says will once again compete globally. SEE 'IN DETAIL' BELOW

• Ukraine is now working closely with NATO member Turkey for more support over Russia's military action – even though it is not happy with the reality of Ankara's parallel ties to Moscow, a Ukrainian diplomat said. SEE 'IN DETAIL' BELOW

• U.S. officials report the Russian Moskva warship was hit by two Ukrainian Neptune missiles. Russia confirmed a fire onboard caused it to sink, with a number of casualties. 

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said up to 3,000 Ukrainian troops have died in the war with Russia, and 10,000 have been injured.

• Zelenskyy warned that the world should be prepared for the possibility of a Ukraine-targeted nuclear strike from Russia. In a CNN interview, he also said he could see the use of chemical weapons in attacks. 

• Russia warned the United States of "unpredictable consequences" if the West continues its "irresponsible militarization of Ukraine," the Washington Post reports. 

• At least 900 civilians have been found dead in towns around the capital of Kyiv after Russian troops evacuated, the local police chief says. 

• Ukraine's gross domestic product (GDP) may fall between 30 percent and 50 percent this year, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko confirmed. 

• Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called for global support with more weapons to Ukraine and Russian sanctions over its military action in Ukraine, telling Al-Jazeera it's the "shortest way to peace is to supply weapons to Ukraine". 

• The Moscow Times' Russian language service has been blocked on the internet in Russia over its war coverage, the newspaper has reported.

IN DETAIL

'We will rebuild the entire Ukraine'

Ukraine's richest man has pledged to help rebuild the besieged city of Mariupol, a place close to his heart where he owns two vast steelworks that he says will once again compete globally.

Rinat Akhmetov has seen his business empire shattered by eight years of fighting in Ukraine's east but remains defiant, sure that what he calls "our brave soldiers" will defend the Sea of Azov city reduced to a wasteland by seven weeks of bombardment.

For now, though, his Metinvest company, Ukraine's biggest steelmaker, has announced it cannot deliver its supply contracts and while his financial and industrial SCM Group is servicing its debt obligations, his private power producer DTEK "has optimised payment of its debts" in an agreement with creditors.

"Mariupol is a global tragedy and a global example of heroism. For me, Mariupol has been and will always be a Ukrainian city," Akhmetov said.

"I believe that our brave soldiers will defend the city, though I understand how difficult and hard it is for them," he said, adding he was in daily contact with the Metinvest managers who run the Azovstal and Illich Iron and Steel Works plants in Mariupol.

On Friday, Metinvest said it would never operate under Russian occupation and that the Mariupol siege had disabled more than a third of Ukraine's metallurgy production capacity.

Akhmetov praised President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "passion and professionalism" during the war, seemingly smoothing relations after the Ukrainian leader last year said plotters hoping to overthrow his government had tried to involve the businessman. Akhmetov called the allegation "an absolute lie" at the time.

"And the war is certainly not the time to be at odds... We will rebuild the entire Ukraine," he said, adding that he returned to the country on February 23 and had been there ever since.

Ukraine diplomat acknowledges Turkey's balancing act

Ukraine is working with NATO member Turkey as much as possible for more support over Russia's military and understands – even though it is not happy with – the reality of Ankara's parallel ties to Moscow, a Ukrainian diplomat said.

Ankara has criticized Russia's actions and sold drones to Kyiv despite Moscow's objections. But it has also opposed Western sanctions against Russia and maintained a careful rhetoric by refraining from accusing either country over the conflict, even amid reports of war crimes in parts of Ukraine.

"We would be happy if Turkey joined the sanctions" and cut flights from Russia. "But we understand this reality," the diplomat told foreign journalists on condition of anonymity.

"Instead of criticizing Turkey we are working with the Turkish side as much as possible, and not demanding something that is improbable," the diplomat added, noting that it was still the only country that had managed to bring together Russian and Ukrainian officials for peace talks.

Turkey, which relies heavily on Russian energy imports and tourists, has emerged as a safe haven for Russians fleeing fallout from the sanctions, and many have invested in Turkish property.

The diplomat cited data showing more than 100,000 Russians had arrived in Turkey and sought residence documents since the war began. Over the same period, however, some 85,000 Ukrainians have also arrived, of whom around 47,000 have since moved on to other countries or returned home, the person said.

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Turkey has also barred some Russian warships from transiting its straits to the Black Sea, thereby "saving" Ukraine's coastal city of Odesa, which has resisted Russian attacks, the diplomat said.

Some Russian vessels are still transiting and could bring supplies from Syrian waters, the diplomat said, adding: "We are asking the Turkish side to monitor what they are bringing from Syria to Russia."

Turkey opposes Russia's policies in Syria and Libya and its 2014 annexation of Crimea but has bought Russia's S-400 missile defense system, for which Ankara was hit with U.S. sanctions in December 2020.