Ukraine Russia Conflict: Russia is likely to take control over Mariupol, claims Ukraine

Ukraine on Tuesday claimed that Russia is likely to take control over Mariupol before entering Donetsk. Officials believe Russia is attempting to regroup and relocate troops in Belarus and Russia before carrying out an offensive attack in Donetsk.

Russia launched a war on Ukraine on February 24. However, according to the latest updates, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky voiced concerns that Russian forces could use chemical weapons in Ukraine but did not confirm whether they had been used in his daily video address late on Monday. Earlier on Monday evening, Ukrainian authorities claimed Russia dropped a drone carrying a toxic substance on the south-eastern city of Mariupol. However, more than 10,000 civilians have died in Mariupol, the city’s mayor has said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities are warning people not to go near what they say are landmines being dropped on Kharkiv.