As it happened: Ukraine war latest news: Forces clash along eastern front line - BBC News
Dozens of missiles are launched as Russian and Ukrainian forces fight along a 300-mile front in the Donbas region.
Destroyed buildings and vehicles in Mariupol on 13 April Image caption: Destroyed buildings and vehicles in Mariupol on 13 April

The embattled Ukrainian city of Mariupol could completely fall to Russian forces within days, a European official has told Reuters.

The official, who asked not to be named, said they believe that Russia hopes to declare the city "liberated" by 9 May, the date when Russia marks the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.

"We do expect a complete destruction of the city and many civilian casualties in Mariupol," they added.

The official added they fear the death toll could be worse than Bucha, where Russian troops have been accused of killing hundreds of civilians. Russia denies the claims.

Additionally, the official said they believed Russia's medium-term objective was to control Luhansk and Donetsk and secure a land corridor with Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014.

Such an operation is likely to take between four and six months to complete, after which the conflict could result in a stalemate, the official added.