In his nightly video address on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said some 344 evacuees from the city of Mariupol and its suburbs had arrived in Zaporizhzhia.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, officials said, and were now receiving help including psychological support.

"We hope to continue rescuing people from Azovstal, from Mariupol. There are still civilians there. Women, children," Zelensky said. "To save them, we need to continue the ceasefire. The Ukrainian side is ready to provide it.

"It takes time to just lift people out of those basements, out of those underground shelters," he added. "In the current conditions, we cannot use special equipment to clear the debris. Everything is done manually."

Image source, EPA

Russia is "trying to destroy" remaining Ukrainian soldiers holed up in the Azovstal steelworks plant in Mariupol, the Ukrainian army says.

There are some reports that Russian soldiers have been successful at infiltrating the plant, which is the last hold out for Ukrainian troops in the besieged city.

"The situation is extremely difficult but despite this we continue to execute the order to hold the defence," Denys Prokopenko, a commander of the Azov battalion, says in a video on Telegram.

The Azov battalion are some of the last Ukrainian defenders believed to be inside the plant.

Image source, .

Over 600 Ukrainians were killed overnight, according to claims made by Russia's Ministry of Defence.

In a post on Telegram, external, it said Russian artillery had struck multiple Ukrainian military posts and equipment overnight, including aviation equipment at the Kanatovo airfield in the central Kirovohrad region, and a large ammunition depot in the southern city of Mykolaiv.

Tributes have been paid to a well-known Ukrainian journalist who reportedly died fighting on the frontline on Wednesday.

According to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleksandr Makhov, 36, died in the battles near the city of Izyum in the north-eastern Kharkiv region.

"Patriotic and sincere... he was always among the bravest," said Zelensky in his nightly video address posted on Facebook, external.

"Eternal memory to him and to all our heroes who gave lives for Ukraine!" he said.

Image source, Reuters

The US has given Ukrainian forces intelligence that has aided them in targeting and killing Russian generals in Ukraine, according to a report from the New York Times, citing senior US officials.

Details of Russian troop movements and locations of its mobile military headquarters are believed to have been included in US intelligence, and were used by Ukrainian forces during attacks that have led to the death of Russian officers.

Ukrainian officials claim 12 top Russian generals have been killed in the conflict, as it is thought that low morale among Russian troops has forced senior officers closer to the front line.

They did not specify how many of these attacks were assisted by US intelligence.

A White House spokesperson criticised the New York Times story, saying its headline was "misleading" and "irresponsible".

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson added that the US provides Ukraine with battlefield intelligence to "defend their country" and without the "intent to kill Russian generals."

A Ukrainian politician says the fall of Mariupol would be "devastating".

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Integration of Ukraine to the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, said Russia's assault of the Azovstal steelworks from the ground and air "would definitely be very painful, devastating for us. But we are resolute to get all of our territories back."

Klympush-Tsintsadze said Russian forces have been trying to get inside the steelworks through the underground tunnels "by finding a traitor" to show them the way, but said that so far they had been unsuccessful.

There are some suggestions that Russian soldiers are already inside the plant, but it is unclear how accurate these reports are.

Klympush-Tsintsadze added that Ukraine is "waiting for a miracle to happen" so that the civilians still trapped in the plant can be rescued.

Russia has said it will implement a ceasefire today to allow more civilian evacuations from the Azovstal plant.

Asked how credible she thought Russia's claim was, she said Russia has been "violating" its word when agreements have been reached, but that it would be "a great possibility to save the lives of additional civilians".

The latest intelligence update from the British Ministry of Defence, external focuses on the situation in Belarus, north of Ukraine, where it was reported yesterday that large-scale military drills were taking place.

The MoD said that Belarusian land forces had been observed deploying from garrisons to the field for exercises, and that this was likely part of the country's winter training cycle.

It said that Russia would "likely seek to inflate the threat posed to Ukraine by these exercises in order to fix Ukrainian forces in the north" and prevent them from being committed to the battle for the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas.

Belarus, a longtime ally of Russia, has been sanctioned by the UK for "facilitating the invasion from within its borders".

If you're just joining us, or want a re-cap, here's a roundup of today's latest developments.

• In Mariupol, Russian forces have reportedly pushed into the Azovstal steelworks, according to the Institute for the Study of War think-tank
• "Difficult bloody battles" are being fought within the plant, says the commander of Ukraine's Azov regiment
• Russian forces are focusing their efforts on taking control of the steelworks with the use of aircraft, according to Ukraine's military
• Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to the UN for assistance in rescuing wounded Ukrainians still trapped in the plant
• More than 300 civilians were evacuated from Mariupol and other parts of southern Ukraine on Wednesday, the UN says
• Russian forces are continuing their offensive in the east in order to establish "full control" over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but have been unsuccessful in trying to break through the frontline areas of Lyman, Severdonetsk and Popasnyansk, it adds
• In the Kramatorsk area in Donetsk, at least 25 people were wounded during Russian shelling overnight, according to the head of Donetsk's regional military administration writing on Telegram, external

• Ukrainian troops say they have retaken control of a number of settlements on the border of the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.

Image source, .

Russian forces are reported to have entered the Azovstal steelworks, the last hold-out of Ukrainian forces in the southern port city of Mariupol. Russia has besieged and bombarded the city for weeks. It is key to Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine. But why?

• Land bridge: Control of the city gives the Russians a land bridge from Russia, through parts of the Donbas region held by Russian-backed separatists, right through to Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

• Hitting Ukraine's economy: Mariupol has long been a strategically important port on the Sea of Azov, part of the Black Sea. In normal times, the city is a key export hub for Ukraine's steel, coal and corn. Losing it is a major blow to Ukraine's economy.
• Russian propaganda: Among Mariupol's defenders are the Azov Brigade, which has links to far-right extremists, historically including neo-Nazis. They form only the tiniest fraction of Ukraine's fighting forces, but their presence is often used as a pretext for Russia's claim to be ridding Ukraine of Nazis.
• Free up forces: An end to the prolonged battle for the city would release more of Russia's troops for its push to take control of the remaining parts of the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, made up of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Read more: Why Mariupol is so important to Russia's plan

Image source, .

Ukrainian forces inside Mariupol's Azovstal metal works have been fighting "difficult bloody battles" against Russian troops, the commander of the controversial Azov regiment has said.

In a video message posted on Telegram on Wednesday, commander Denis Prokopenko praised his soldiers' "superhuman efforts" to repel the Russian assault - adding that the situation was "extremely difficult."

His message came after a Ukrainian official said Russian forces had entered the territory of the plant - the final stronghold of Ukrainian forces in the shattered city of Mariupol.

President Zelensky has said efforts will continue to evacuate civilians from the vast industrial plant.

Image source, Reuters

The Azovstal metal works has become “priority number one” for Ukraine’s political and military leadership, an adviser to the country’s defence minister has told the BBC.

Yuriy Sak told Radio 4’s Today programme that efforts were focused on defending the vast industrial complex and managing further evacuations.

Azovstal is the last holdout of Ukrainian resistance in the strategically important port city of Mariupol – which Sak noted had become the “heart” of the war.

He acknowledged that the situation at the plant was “extremely difficult” for his troops. Russian fighters had now launched a ground offensive, he said, having previously focused on aerial bombardment and missile strikes.

But Sak was hopeful that both sides could agree humanitarian corridors that would allow more civilians and wounded soldiers to leave the plant over the coming days.

“We are quietly optimistic,” he said. “But of course we have bad experiences of Russia not honouring its commitments.”

For its part, Russia has previously blamed Ukraine for breaking agreements, causing humanitarian corridors to break down in Mariupol.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to the UN for help in saving the lives of the remaining injured Ukrainians trapped in the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.

In a phone call with the UN's Secretary General Antonio Guterres last night, Zelensky thanked the UN for a successful evacuation from the steel plant this week - which rescued more than 100 people from the steelworks - but called on the UN to "assist in the removal of all the wounded from Azovstal".

"The lives of the people who remain there are in danger," Zelensky said.

About 200 civilians are believed to be sheltering inside the plant.

Joe Inwood
BBC News, Lviv

Image source, Reuters

It could be that we are entering the last days in the battle for Mariupol.

This strategically crucial port on the Azov sea has become in many ways a symbol of Ukraine's resistance to Russia's invasion.

For weeks, the last point of that resistance has been the massive Azovstal steelworks. It contains a sprawling network of tunnels and nuclear bunkers housing civilians and fighters.

After days of increasingly heavy bombardment, it seems Russia has now launched an all out offensive.

The commander of the Ukrainian troops inside the plant said there are "heavy, bloody battles."

Securing the city would give Russian forces a land bridge from the mainland of their territory to the Crimean peninsula.

But more importantly, it will free up a large number of their troops who have previously been pinned down by the defenders in Mariupol.

For the first time, Russian forces have managed to push deep into Azovstal in Mariupol and are likely to be operating within the steel plant, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its assessment of Wednesday's military situation., external

The news comes after days of fierce fighting at the steelworks, where the last of Ukraine's fighters in the city are holding out, along with hundreds of civilians.

The US-based think-tank also said Ukrainian defences have largely stalled Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces had so far prevented Russian forces from merging their offensives to the southeast of Izyum and west of the Donetsk-Luhansk frontline.

In western Ukraine, Russian attempts to disrupt aid shipments to Ukraine from Western countries and slow down weapon re-supply efforts have also proved unsuccessful, the ISW said.

Russian forces had intensified airstrikes against transportation infrastructure near railway stations in Lviv and Transcarpathia on Thursday, but ultimately failed to inflict serious damage.

Image source, Institute for the Study of War

And with that, we are handing over this live page to our colleagues Chris Giles and Alys Davies in London - they will continue to bring you the latest developments.

The UK has announced further funding to help vulnerable groups within Ukraine and at its borders.

A £45m ($57m) package will go to UN agencies and charities working to support those most vulnerable to abuse and harm, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a government statement.

“British aid is supporting the most vulnerable in Ukraine, particularly women and children, who are facing increased risk of sexual violence and exploitation,” she was quoted as saying.

Officials say this is how the money will be distributed:

• £15m will go to the UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF)
• £15m will go to UNICEF, the UN children’s agency
• £10m will fund humanitarian organisations in border countries to protect women and children who are fleeing there
• £5m will go to the International Federation of the Red Cross in Ukraine

There will also be an additional £20m provided for humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

This latest funding brings the UK’s aid package for Ukraine to £220m.

Image source, Reuters

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to meet with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on Thursday, with discussions on new ways of applying pressure on Russia expected to be part of the agenda.

The meeting will also focus on helping those allied against Russia to become less dependent on its oil and gas, Downing Street has confirmed.

Japan, a member of the G7, is part of the Western alliance defending Ukraine and has condemned the invasion, imposed sanctions on Russia and sent non-lethal military aid to Kyiv.

But European dependency on Russian energy has stalled EU-led efforts to punish Moscow with bans on its oil exports.

You can read more here.

There are claims that thousands of disabled Ukrainian children have been forgotten and abandoned in institutions that can’t look after them.

The human rights organisation, Disability Rights International, has carried out an investigation and found children with severe disabilities tied to beds in overrun children’s homes unable to cope.

The BBC has been given exclusive access to an institution in western Ukraine, where disabled children from the east have been left by their carers who fled to neighbouring countries.

Image source, Getty Images

The European Union plans to ban all purchases of Russian oil by the end of the year.

But EU members Hungary and Slovakia will be able to continue buying Russian crude oil until the end of 2023, external.

The US has declared a complete ban on Russian oil and the UK is to phase out Russian oil by the end of the year.

Russia is the world's third biggest oil producer, after the US and Saudi Arabia, and has warned that banning its oil would lead to "catastrophic consequences for the global market".

About half of Russia's crude oil exports went to Europe, external, before sanctions were announced.

What are the alternatives to Russian oil?

Research analyst Ben McWilliams says it should be easier to find alternative suppliers for oil than for gas, because while some comes from Russia, "there's also a lot of shipments from elsewhere".

Some countries which are members of the International Energy Agency have released the equivalent of 120 million barrels from oil stocks - the largest release of reserves in the intergovernmental group's history.

At the end of March, US President Joe Biden ordered a major release of oil from America's reserves in an effort to bring down high fuel costs.

The US also wants Saudi Arabia to increase its oil production and is looking at relaxing sanctions on Venezuela's oil.

You can read more here from Reality Check on the world's reliance on oil and gas.

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. It's just gone past 7:30 in Kyiv, and here's what you need to know:

• Civilians including women and children remain trapped in the south-eastern city of Mariupol and an extended ceasefire is needed to ensure they can get out, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says
• Russia says it will pause its attack on the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, where the last Ukrainian defenders in the city are holding out and about 200 civilians are sheltering. The three-day ceasefire is said to begin today - though previous ceasefires in the war have seen mixed results.
• Ukrainian defenders have been fighting “difficult, bloody battles” against Russian troops inside the steelworks, according to a commander from the Azov regiment who posted on Telegram. Zelensky said heavy machinery was needed to get people out of underground shelters but this was impossible during fighting.
• More than 300 civilians were evacuated from Mariupol and other parts of southern Ukraine on Wednesday, the UN says
• Russian missile strikes have been continuing across the country as Moscow tries to prevent fresh supplies of weaponry and equipment from reaching Ukrainian troops fighting Russia’s advance in the eastern Donbas region, according to the latest UK defence assessment
• The US has been providing intelligence enabling Ukrainian forces to kill Russian generals, the New York Times reports
• The EU says it plans to phase out the use of Russian crude oil within six months, but Hungary says the proposal is unworkable and the Czech and Slovak governments want a transition period

This is Tessa Wong and Zubaidah Abdul Jalil in Singapore, and Thomas Spender in London - stay with us as we bring you the latest developments.