Live: Sievierodonetsk shelling 'brutal and pointless', Zelenskyy says as Russian offensive continues

Russian bombardment of cities in the Donbas region, including Sievierodonetsk, where 12 were killed and another 40 were injured is "brutal and completely pointless", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.

The Moscow forces have continued their assault in the east after claiming victory in Mariupol on Friday, after the last Ukrainian defenders holed up in Azovstal laid down their arms.

Meanwhile, Russia has cut off its gas supply to Finland on Saturday morning in response to the country's NATO membership bid.

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Russia suspended its gas delivery to Finland on Saturday morning in response to the country's NATO membership bid.

The Russian military says it has fully taken over the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol after the last Ukrainian fighters gave themselves up.

Earlier, Moscow said more than 1,900 Ukrainian fighters at the plant had surrendered.

Russian forces stepped up their assaults in eastern Ukraine, with fierce bombardment of Severodonetsk in the Luhansk region, which Moscow says is almost under its control.

Moscow should be made to pay for the destruction of property in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Friday.

The Donbas region has been turned into 'hell', Zelenskyy said earlier.

Russia's parliament has said it will consider allowing Russians over 40 and foreigners over 30 to sign up for the military.

Russia is to set up 12 new military bases in the west of the country in response to Sweden and Finland's NATO bids.

The G7 is pledging $19.8 billion (€18.75 billion) in aid to boost Ukraine's finances and more than $18 billion (€17 billion) in aid for