Ukraine latest: Ukraine says Donbas region completely destroyed, US supports Nordic push to join NATO

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia was trying to exert even more pressure in the Donbas region.(Reuters: Gleb Garanich)


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian forces have "completely destroyed" the industrial Donbas region, and accused Moscow of carrying out senseless bombardments as it intensified its offensive.

Key points:​

• An undisclosed number of Ukrainian fighters remain in the Azovstal steel plant despite the surrender
• The Kremlin says it will be up to residents of areas in Ukraine controlled by Russian troops to determine their future status
• The US has strongly supported Finland and Sweden's bid to join the NATO alliance

Mr Zelenskyy also accused Russian forces of attempting to kill as many Ukrainians and do as much damage as possible, repeating his charge that Russia was carrying out a genocide.

He said while Ukrainian forces were continuing to liberate the Kharkiv region to the east of Kyiv, Russia was trying to exert even more pressure in the Donbas, which lies in the south-eastern part of Ukraine.

"It is hell there — and that is not an exaggeration," he said in a late night video address, adding 12 people had been killed in the "brutal and absolutely senseless bombardment" of Severodonetsk on Thursday.

"[There are] constant strikes on the Odesa region, on the cities of central Ukraine. The Donbas is completely destroyed," he said.

"This is a deliberate and criminal attempt to kill as many Ukrainians as possible, to destroy as many houses, social facilities and enterprises as possible."

"It is hell there — and that is not an exaggeration," Ukraine's President said in a late-night video address.(AP: Alexei Alexandrov)