Catastrophic situation in Mariupol as UN estimates almost 4 million Ukrainians have fled

About 170,000 civilians remain trapped in Mariupol without adequate food, water or medicine, according to Ukraine’s foreign ministry, as the UN said some 3.9 million people had fled their homes. The Kremlin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators could resume face-to-face peace talks in Turkey as early as Tuesday. Follow the latest developments on our live blog. All times indicated are Paris time [GMT+1].

UN chief Antonio Guterres said Monday the global body is seeking a humanitarian ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, as the civilian toll continues to rise a month after Moscow's invasion of its neighbor.

Guterres told reporters he had asked UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths "immediately to explore with the parties involved the possible agreements and arrangements for a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine".

5:51 pm: At least 5,000 dead in Mariupol since start of Russian invasion, Ukrainian official says

At least 5,000 people have died in the besieged port city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion last month, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP Monday.

"About 5,000 people were buried, but the burials stopped 10 days ago because of continued shelling," Tetyana Lomakina, a presidential adviser now in charge of humanitarian corridors, told AFP by phone, adding that as many as 10,000 people may have died.

4:48 pm: Kyiv mayor says more than 100 war deaths in city, including 4 children

There have been more than 100 deaths in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv since Russia's invasion of its neighbour, the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Monday.

In an address to city councillors of Florence, which is twinned with Kyiv, Klitschko said more than 20 corpses could not be identified and four of the victims were children, while another 16 injured children are in the hospital.

4:32 pm: Ukraine puts € 515 billion price tag on Russian war damage

The Ukrainian government estimated on Monday the economic losses from the Russian invasion, which has been underway for just over one month, at nearly $565 billion (€515 billion)

Ukraine’s economy minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, said on Facebook that the estimate includes immediate damage plus expected losses in trade and economic activity.

"It should be noted that every day the numbers change and unfortunately they are increasing," said Svyrydenko, who is also a deputy prime minister.

Damage to public and private property -- with Russian forces resorting to fierce bombardments that have levelled some cities as their invasion has stalled -- was the biggest element.

Svyrydenko estimated gross domestic product in 2022 would be down by $112 billion (€102 billion), which would be a drop of more than 55 percent of Ukraine's economic activity last year.

3:59 pm: Russia to limit entry for 'unfriendly' states, says Lavrov

Russia said on Monday it was preparing to restrict entry into Russia for nationals of "unfriendly" countries, which include Britain, all EU states and the United States.

"A draft presidential decree is being developed on retaliatory visa measures in response to the 'unfriendly' actions of a number of foreign states," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in televised remarks.

"This act will introduce a number of restrictions on entry into Russia," he added without elaborating.

After the West piled unprecedented sanctions on Moscow following Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to send troops into Ukraine, Russia expanded the list of what it calls "unfriendly" countries.

They now include the United States, Australia, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, all EU member states and several others.

2:09 pm: Top Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta suspends publication

Russia's top independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, whose chief editor was last year awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, said Monday it was suspending publication until the end of Moscow's military action in Ukraine.

"We have received another warning from Roskomnadzor," the newspaper said, referring to Russia's media regulator. "We are suspending publication of the newspaper on our website, on social media and in print – until the end of the 'special operation in Ukraine'".

11:56 am: Russian invasion has cost Ukraine more than $560 billion, Kyiv’s economy minister says 

Russia's war on Ukraine has so far cost Ukraine $564.9 billion in terms of damage to infrastructure, lost economic growth and other factors, Kyiv’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Monday. 

In an online post, she said the fighting had damaged or destroyed 8,000 kilometres (4,970 miles) of roads and 10 million square metres of housing. 

11:52 am: Ukraine says Russian forces once again on the offensive northwest and east of Kyiv

FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports from Ukraine's capital.

11:22 am: Kremlin says Russia-Ukraine peace talks may begin Tuesday

The Kremlin said on Monday that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine could get underway in Turkey on Tuesday, and said it was important that the talks be held face-to-face despite scant progress in negotiations so far.

Turkey had earlier said the talks could begin as early as Monday, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that was unlikely as the negotiators would only be arriving in Turkey on Monday.

10:52 am: Cambodia's Hun Sen condemns Russian invasion of Ukraine, calls for immediate ceasefire 

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Monday and echoed calls for an immediate ceasefire made by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which Cambodia currently chairs. 

Hun Sen invoked Cambodia's own history of occupation by Vietnam and cast doubt on Russia's ability to capture the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. 

"I still stand in solidarity with Ukrainian people against the invasion," he said on the sidelines of a hospital inauguration event. 

10:01 am: Ukraine won’t open evacuation corridors due to possible Russian ‘provocations’ 

Ukraine has no plans to open humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from besieged cities on Monday because of intelligence reports warning of possible Russian "provocations" along the routes, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. 

Vadym Boichenko, the mayor of Mariupol, said about 160,000 civilians were trapped in the port city without power. Twenty-six buses were waiting to evacuate civilians but Russian forces had not agreed to give them safe passage, he said. 

"The Russian Federation is playing with us," Boichenko said. 

9:23 am: Turkey among countries that could become ‘guarantors’ of Ukraine’s security, Kyiv says 

Turkey is among countries that could offer Kyiv security guarantees as part of any deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, a senior Ukrainian official said on Monday. 

"Turkey is among those countries that could become guarantors of our security in the future," Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, said ahead of peace talks scheduled between Kyiv and Moscow in Turkey. 

Kyiv has said it wants legally binding security guarantees that would offer Ukraine protection in the event of a future attack. 

8:12 am: Position of Russian forces in Ukraine has not moved significantly since Sunday morning, UK says

The disposition of Russian forces in Ukraine during the last 24 hours has seen no significant change, British military intelligence said on Monday. However, Russia has gained more ground in the south, in the vicinity of Mariupol, as it fights to capture the port, the defence ministry added.

8:04 am: Theft of aid, human trafficking pose problems amid refugee influx on Polish border

Theft of humanitarian supplies and human trafficking threaten the situation for refugees who cross into Poland from Ukraine. FRANCE 24's Ellen Gainsford reports.

6:30 am: Talks in Turkey, ‘catastrophic’ situation in Mariupol: Here’s what you need to know

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators will resume face-to-face peace talks as soon as Monday, probing whether a near-stalemate in fighting has forced Moscow to temper its demands.

President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the new negotiations, saying he hoped they would bring peace “without delay”, and lamented a month-long Russian invasion that has already killed thousands and devastated numerous Ukrainian cities.

The new talks are set to start in Turkey on either Monday or Tuesday, with Zelensky desperate to halt the bombardment of cities like Mariupol, where officials said the situation is “catastrophic”.

About 170,000 civilians remain trapped in Mariupol without adequate food, water or medicine, as the southern port city is being turned “into dust” by Russian shelling, according to Ukraine’s foreign ministry.

While #Mariupol [is] besieged and bombed, people fight to survive. The humanitarian situation in the city is catastrophic. #Russian Armed Forces is turning the city into dust.

Save Mariupol!#closeUAskyNOW#StandWithUkraine #StopRussianAgression pic.twitter.com/wI21IhKdRn

— MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) March 28, 2022

France, Greece and Turkey are hoping to launch a “humanitarian operation” to evacuate civilians within days, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, who has sought an OK from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Several previous rounds of peace talks have failed to halt the fighting or overcome fundamental disagreements about Kyiv’s alignment with the West and Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territory.

But with Russia’s much-larger military humbled by fierce Ukrainian resistance and forced to abandon efforts to capture Kyiv, there is renewed hope for talks.

“Our goal is obvious—peace and the restoration of normal life in our native state as soon as possible,” Zelensky said in a late-night video message that also set out his negotiating red lines.

“Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt. Effective security guarantees for our state are mandatory,” he said.

Zelensky has indicated he is “carefully” considering a Russian demand of Ukrainian “neutrality”.

“This point of the negotiations is understandable to me and it is being discussed, it is being carefully studied,” Zelensky said during an interview with several independent Russian news organisations on Sunday.