Ukraine war live updates: Russian forces 'cowards hiding the truth behind missiles', Zelenskyy says

After three months of Russia's war against Ukraine, fighting continues in the country's east and south, with Moscow forces struggling to make any progress. 

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is threatening neighbouring European countries with retaliation as the likes of Finland and Sweden express their interest in joining NATO -- a consequence of Vladimir Putin's actions against Kyiv.

**Follow Friday's events as they unfold in our blog below, or watch the latest updates by clicking the video player above.**

The UN's refugee agency says more than 6 million people have now left Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy told an Italian TV interviewer on Thursday night that he was ready to talk with Russian President Putin, and said that "we must find an agreement". 

Russia's foreign ministry says there will be "consequences" if Finland goes ahead with its bid to join NATO. “Russia will be forced to take retaliatory steps," the ministry said in a statement. 

Russia is stealing Ukrainian grain and trying to sell some of it on global markets, Ukraine's foreign ministry claims.

Moscow has still not given up on Kyiv, and it wants to take Mykolayiv and Odesa to create a land bridge to the Moldovan separatist region of Transinstria, Ukrainian military believes. 

Ukraine’s top prosecutor disclosed plans for the first war crimes trial of a captured Russian soldier.