Russian President Vladimir Putin referenced the presence of such units within the Ukrainian military as one of the reasons for launching his so-called “special military operation … to de-militarise and de-Nazify Ukraine”.

Apparent Nazi-inspired soldiers are combing through the aftermath of a Russian rocket attack that destroyed a military base in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine. As many as 40 marines were killed, a senior Ukrainian official tells The New York Times. Russian forces have also pushed further into Mariupol, a strategic move that would open up a land path from Russia to Crimea. Linkedin reports tank battles and intense street fighting were reported in the city centre, hampering efforts to find airstrike survivors in the ruins of the city's theatre, where 1,300 people were believed to be sheltering.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly called for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, but a senior Turkish official says Putin isn't ready.
• Russian missiles hit Lviv’s outskirts on Friday. The city had been considered a "safe haven.”
• Ukrainians and their immediate family members will now be able to stay in Canada for three years, from two years previously, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced on Thursday.