Three people were reported killed in missile attacks on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, according to an official.
Russian forces are continuing their offensive across southern and eastern regions of Ukraine, with Ukrainian officials reporting heavy shelling and civilian casualties in cities, including Kharkiv, Popasna and Mykolaiv.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian minister announced an evacuation corridor from the besieged southern port city Mariupol will open, after pausing briefly before due to security concerns.
Here are the latest developments:
UK officials say: Russia captured dozens of small towns and settlements in its assault on the eastern Donbas region, and Ukrainian officials describe fierce fighting as continuing throughout Donetsk and Luhansk there. However, a situation report by the UK Ministry of Defense on Saturday said Russian forces had “no major gains” in the past 24 hours in the face of Ukraine’s counter-attacks. Ukraine’s air and sea defense forces can also block the advance of Russian aviation and maritime forces, the ministry added in a social media post.
New evacuation plans from Mariupol: Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk announced an evacuation corridor would open on Saturday, with a focus on moving “women, children and the elderly” from Mariupol to safer areas. In a statement on Telegram, Vereshchuk warned of Russian traps where the military can open “parallel corridors” and send people into Russian-controlled territories. She called on the people to be vigilant and “not follow any deception and provocation” of the Russian side.
Mykolaiv officially announced the curfew: After Russian forces continued shelling the city of Mykolaiv during the night, Vitaliy Kim, head of the regional military administration there, announced a new curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. before the ceremony. Local Easter. The announcement comes a day after Hanna Zamazeeva, head of the regional council of Mykolaiv, said that at least 20 people was injured in the area for the past two days, amid attacks by Russian troops.
Russian forces targeting civilian infrastructure: Resident in the northeast of the city of Kharkiv and Popasna to the east experienced continuous Russian bombardment. The Russian military launched 56 attacks on civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv and the region, killing two people and injuring 19, according to a Ukrainian military governor. In Popasna, two people were also killed when Russian forces targeted civilian homes and high-rise buildings, a Ukrainian regional official said.
