More now on Russian President Vladimir Putin cancelling plans to storm the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, where the last Ukrainian troops in the city have been holding out against a Russian onslaught.

In a televised meeting, across a small table from his defence minister, Putin said there was "no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities".

Instead, he called for his forces to "block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can escape".

He added it would be "impractical" to storm the huge industrial area, where more than 2,000 Ukrainian servicemen are said to remain, and the decision was being made to safeguard the lives of Russian soldiers.

Putin also hailed Russia's "liberation" of Mariupol after Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told him Russian forces now controlled the Ukrainian port city apart from the plant.

BBC