The Latest Breaking News from Kyiv

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Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory on Thursday in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war, declaring the port city of Mariupol "liberated," although hundreds of Ukrainian troops and civilians were still holding out inside a giant steel works.

RUBIZHNE, Ukraine — Russia tightened its grip Wednesday around Ukraine’s last stronghold in the besieged port of Mariupol, whose desperate defenders, holed up in underground shelters beneath a massive steel plant, pleaded for international help, declaring that they were “probably facing our last days, if not hours.”

RUBIZHNE, Ukraine — Russia delivered what it said was a last-chance surrender ultimatum Wednesday to Ukrainian forces in the besieged port of Mariupol, whose desperate defenders, pleading for international help, declared that they were “probably facing our last days, if not hours.”

Al Jazeera recaps key events during week eight of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has separately asked Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to receive him to discuss steps to bring about peace following Moscow's invasion of its neighbor. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said separate letters were handed to the permanent missions of Russia and Ukraine…

Vitaliy Semenets had the Bluetooth headphones stolen from is house in Hostomel, near Kyiv, shortly after Putin's forces tried to topple the Ukrainian capital.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in a phone call on Wednesday that the outcome of talks with Ukraine completely depended on Kyiv's readiness to take into account Russia's demands.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he had not seen or heard about a document that the Kremlin said it had sent to Ukraine in connection with peace talks.

RUBIZHNE, Ukraine — Russia delivered what it said was a last-chance surrender ultimatum Wednesday to Ukrainian forces in the besieged port of Mariupol, whose desperate defenders, pleading for international help, declared that they were “probably facing our last days, if not hours.”

Moscow has deported 500,000 people from Ukraine to Russia, a leading member of the parliament in Kyiv told European lawmakers on Wednesday, calling on the Red Cross to establish contact with those missing.