Russia-Ukraine live news: Ukraine braces for eastern offensive

Moscow expected to push campaign ahead in Donbas after dismissing rape, chemical weapons allegations

Ukraine says Russia is likely to try and capture the besieged port city of Mariupol as fears rise over an expected offensive on the eastern Donbas region.

Russia-backed forces deny allegations that chemical weapons were used in Mariupol, Qazet.az reports.

President Vladimir Putin travels to Russia’s far east for talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

The United Nations says almost two-thirds of Ukrainian children have fled their homes amid the war