Ukraine repelling intense Russian offensive in east | First Thing

Shelling and strikes in Donbas increasing but Russians hampered by logistical problems, UK claims. Plus, Biden's $6bn effort to save nuclear plants

Good morning.

Russia has increased the intensity of its eastern offensive but has been repeatedly repelled by Ukrainian forces, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said, as western governments pledged to send more artillery, and a new deadline for surrender in Mariupol approached.

How are Ukrainian troops faring in Mariupol? A commander for the Ukrainian marines in Mariupol said his forces were maybe facing our last days, if not hours" and appealed for extraction, in a Facebook post published early this morning.

What is happening with the diplomatic effort? Western nations are preparing to stage coordinated walkouts and other diplomatic snubs in protest at Russia's invasion of Ukraine at a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington. Janet Yellen, the US treasury secretary, is planning to avoid sessions attended by Russian officials.

What else is happening? Here's what we know on day 56 of the invasion.

What else did Raskin say? We're going to tell the whole story of everything that happened. There was a violent insurrection and an attempted coup and we were saved by Mike Pence's refusal to go along with that plan."