Ukraine war round-up: City besieged and football triumph

Russian forces have been intensifying attacks around the eastern city of Severodonets on the 99th day of Moscow's invasion.

The last major centre held by Ukraine in the Donbas region is under attack from "from all directions", Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said, adding that intense street-to-street fighting in the city had hampered evacuations.

Some 15,000 civilians reportedly remain trapped there.

But Mr Haidai insisted that Ukrainian troops had been carrying out counter-attacks, "pushing back the enemy on some streets and taking several prisoners".

In one corner, governments in the UK, Poland and the Baltic states have been consistent in calling for Russia's unambiguous defeat.

But in the other corner, Russian President Vladimir Putin sees leaders in France, Germany and Italy calling for a different approach.

Of course, it's the US president who really matters to the Kremlin.

But Joe Biden has given different signals at different times. Calling Mr Putin a "war criminal" back in March and seeming to hint at the need for a change in leadership in Moscow, he was also reluctant this week to send Ukraine rocket systems "that can strike into Russia".

Russian-imposed authorities in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region have said the Ukrainian state's property and resources in the area will be "nationalised".

Andrei Trofimov, deputy head of the Moscow-imposed administration, said a decree had been signed for the nationalisation of Ukrainian property, according to Russia's Interfax news agency.

Mr Trofimov said the nationalisation would affect land, natural resources and facilities in strategic sectors of the economy, as well as property owned by Ukraine as of 24 February - the day Russia launched its invasion of the country.

"The decree was signed in order to meet state needs related to improving the overall efficiency and social orientation of the economy, as well as to preserve the national heritage for residents of the Zaporizhzhia Region," he said.

Lina Udodenko, who used to have a job supporting refugees, is being hosted in Nottingham through the Ukrainian Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine).

The 26-year-old said she had found out this week that her home had been destroyed after seeing a video on Facebook of her city.

"I recognised my house - it had exploded. Nothing is saved there," she said.

Having defeated Scotland 3-1 on Wednesday night, Ukraine will face Wales in Cardiff for a place at December's World Cup in Qatar.

While home tickets at the 33,000-capacity Cardiff City Stadium have sold out, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and the Welsh government are in discussions to make some tickets available to refugees who have fled the conflict in Ukraine.

The FAW has also invited the Ukrainian ambassador to the game, and a welcome message will be waiting for the visiting team at Cardiff Airport.