War in Ukraine: Latest developments

Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:

- Ukrainian strike in Russia: local governor -

Ukrainian helicopters have carried out a strike on a fuel storage facility in Russia's western town of Belgorod, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the border, according to the local governor. 

"There was a fire at the petrol depot because of an air strike carried out by two Ukrainian army helicopters, who entered Russian territory at a low altitude," Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel.

On Wednesday, explosions could be heard from an arms depot in Belgorod but the authorities did not provide any explanation for the blasts.

- EU to urge China rethink on Russia -

The EU is set to hold a virtual summit with China against a backdrop of increasing alarm over Beijing's growing proximity with Moscow and its reluctance to condemn its invasion of Ukraine.

French European affairs minister Clement Beaune says the meeting will notably include "the role we are urging China to play." 

- US warns India on Moscow links -

The US has warned India over its close Moscow links after Delhi abstained from UN resolutions censuring Russia over Ukraine.

India continues to buy Russian oil from its "longstanding and time-tested friend" but Daleep Singh, Washington's chief sanctions strategist, has been quoted as saying on an India visit that Delhi cannot rely on Russia when it comes to relations with China.

"Russia is going to be the junior partner in this relationship with China. And the more leverage that China gains over Russia, the less favourable that is for India," Indian media quoted Singh as saying.

- Russia preparing 'powerful strikes': Kyiv -

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is warning that Russia is consolidating and preparing "powerful strikes" in the country's east and south, including besieged Mariupol, where a new attempt was due to be made Friday to evacuate civilians from the devastated city.

NATO also says it is not seeing a pull-back of Russian forces in Ukraine and expects "additional offensive actions", alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg warns.

- EU parliament leader visiting Kyiv -

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola says she is on her way to Ukraine, making her the first EU leader to visit the war-torn country.

- Russia leaving Chernobyl with hostages -

Russian forces have begun to pull out of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power site and move towards Belarus, but took an unspecified number of captive Ukrainian servicemen with them, officials in Kyiv say.  

- Putin may be 'isolated': Biden -

US President Joe Biden says that Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin may be "isolated" and could have placed some of his advisors under "house arrest".

In his first public remarks on Western assessments of Kremlin tensions over the war in Ukraine, Biden also says he is "sceptical" about Moscow's claim to be scaling back its onslaught in parts of the country.

- New gas war front -

Putin says "unfriendly" countries, including all EU members, must set up ruble accounts to pay for gas deliveries from April, or "existing contracts would be stopped". 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insists payments continue in euros or dollars, while France says Paris and Berlin are preparing for a cut in Russian gas deliveries.

- Buses en route to Mariupol - 

Ukraine's government is sending 45 buses to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol, where Russia has declared a local ceasefire following a global outcry over the suffering of civilians trapped by a month of relentless shelling.

- 'Longer' conflict possible: US -

Russia's refocusing of its military efforts on the Donbas could herald a "longer, more prolonged conflict" as Ukrainian forces put up fierce resistance there, a senior US defence official says.

"It's been fought over now for eight years," the official says of the heavily contested region.

- Putin ratings up -

Putin's ratings have received a boost since the start of military actions in Ukraine, Russia's independent Levada Centre polling institute says, with more than 80 percent of Russians saying they support his actions.

The first poll the centre has conducted since the conflict began shows 83 percent of Russians back their leader, up from 71 percent in early February.

- Biden taps oil reserves -

Biden announces an unprecedented release of crude from US strategic oil reserves, saying it will "ease the pain" of rising fuel prices for Americans.

- New US sanctions -

The United States hits a series of Russian tech firms with sanctions, including the nation's largest chip maker Mikron.

- Russia bans EU leaders - 

Russia says it will expand the list of EU figures banned from entering the country following Western sanctions.