What's the latest in Ukraine ? April 17, 11AM

The latest updates

Good morning to our UK readers. If you're just joining us, Qazet.az reports :

• In the southern city of Mariupol, Russia says it will spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers there if they lay down their arms today. The city has been under siege for weeks
• Ukraine's armed forces say its naval units are preparing for a Russian landing operation in the Mariupol area, after it said Russia conducted assault operations near the seaport
• Earlier, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said eliminating Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol would put an end to peace talks to end the war
• Russia claims its air defence units have brought down a Ukrainian military plane it says was carrying a shipment of arms sent by Western countries
• In the capital Kyiv, there are reports of explosions in the city once again, but there is no information yet on where they took place