Russia-Ukraine war live updates Ukraine ends Mariupol fight; some Azovstal troops taken to Russian-held areas

 Russia-Ukraine war live updates

Ukraine ends Mariupol fight; some Azovstal troops taken to Russian-held areas

LATEST UPDATES

France pledges to defend Finland, Sweden during NATO accession

6:44 a.m.

Russia bombarded thousands of residential buildings in Chernihiv, U.K. says

6:04 a.m.

Key update

Swedish foreign minister signs NATO application

5:29 a.m.

E.U. slashes growth forecast, citing uncertainty from invasion

5:04 a.m.

Missiles strike western Ukraine, about 15 miles from NATO territory

4:31 a.m.

Turkey’s Erdogan rebuffs visit by Swedish, Finnish diplomats for NATO talks

4:08 a.m.

Humanitarian chief decries Europe’s ‘double standard’ in refugee response

3:38 a.m.

Russia blames West for disruption to global food supplies

3:19 a.m.

Sweden joins Finland in seeking NATO membership

2:35 a.m.

Ukraine ends bloody battle for Mariupol, evacuates Azovstal fighters

1:59 a.m.

On state TV, a retired Russian colonel gives frank assessment of war, isolation

1:30 a.m.

Key update

Updates from key cities: Ukraine troops advance toward Russian border

1:10 a.m.

Senate advances $40 billion Ukraine aid bill, setting up final vote

1:08 a.m.

Key updates

Swedish foreign minister signs NATO application

Updates from key cities: Ukraine troops advance toward Russian border

Zelensky says Ukraine aims to save Mariupol soldiers

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated May 16 that he hopes to rescue soldiers from Mariupol. "Ukraine needs Ukrainian heroes alive," he said. (Video: Telegram)

By Amy Cheng, Jennifer Hassan, Rachel Pannett, Ellen Francis, Andrew Jeong and Julian Mark 

Today at 1:08 a.m. EDT|Updated today at 7:06 a.m. EDT

Ukraine said it was working on the “next stages” of a humanitarian operation to evacuate the last fighters at Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant after Kyiv’s military said it was ending its combat mission in the strategic port city. Ukrainian officials said Monday evening that some 260 Ukrainian fighters, including 53 who were gravely wounded, were taken to Russian-held territory. It is not clear how many remain in the plant.

“After their condition stabilizes, we will exchange them for Russian prisoners of war,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Tuesday.

Sweden signed the country’s application to join NATO, bringing the country a step closer to membership. Both Sweden and Finland are expected to submit their applications to the military alliance this week, beginning an accession process that is expected to move quickly. Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed the move on Monday, saying “Russia has no problems with Finland and Sweden, and in this sense, expansion at the expense of these countries does not create an immediate threat for us."

Attacks continued in other parts of Ukraine, with the regional governor of Lviv saying early Tuesday that Russian forces shelled a military facility near the border with Poland. Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, said the assault was “one of the largest” on the Lviv region “in terms of the number of missiles.”

Here’s what else to know

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said diplomats from Sweden and Finland should not visit his country on an upcoming trip because his government does not intend to approve their NATO applications — as France and other European nations pledged to support the Nordic nations should they come under attack.

In the eastern region of Luhansk, Russian forces shelled a hospital in Sievierodonetsk, according to the regional governor. International officials have tallied more than 200 attacks on medical facilities since Russia’s invasion.

The U.S. Senate voted 81 to 11 to advance a bill Monday that would secure nearly $40 billion in aid for Ukraine, setting the stage for final passage this week.

The  Washington  Post has lifted  its paywall for readers in Russia and Ukraine.

Telegram users can subscribe to our channel.

The Washington Post