Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

* The eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk was heavily shelled by Russian forces on Friday and there were many dead, Governor Serhiy Gaidai told Ukraine's public broadcaster. * Gas flows from Germany to France have stopped since June 15 after what German officials on Friday described as Russia's politically motivated decision to reduce supplies to the European Union.

The European Union gave its blessing on Friday for Ukraine and its neighbour Moldova to become candidates to join, in the most dramatic geopolitical shift to result from Russia's invasion. FIGHTING * Ukrainian officials said their troops were still holding out in Sievierodonetsk, site of the worst fighting of recent weeks, on the east bank of the Siverskyi Donets river. It was impossible to evacuate more than 500 civilians who are trapped inside a chemical plant, the regional governor said. * The eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk was heavily shelled by Russian forces on Friday and there were many dead, Governor Serhiy Gaidai told Ukraine's public broadcaster. * Ukraine said its forces hit a Russian naval tugboat with two Harpoon missiles in the Black Sea on Friday, the first time it has claimed to have struck a Russian vessel with Western-supplied anti-ship weapons.

DIPLOMACY * The Kremlin on Friday said the goal of its "special military operation" in Ukraine remains the protection of the population of the eastern Donbas region. * A Russian warship early on Friday twice violated Danish territorial waters north of the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm where a democracy festival attended by senior lawmakers and business people was taking place, the Danish Armed Forces said. * The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest cannot be held in Ukraine given the ongoing war in the country, the European Broadcasting Union said Friday, adding it was in talks with the BBC to host it in Britain. * Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would attend a NATO meeting in Madrid at the end of the month. ECONOMY * Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West on Friday of colonial arrogance and trying to crush his country with "stupid" sanctions that amounted to an economic "blitzkrieg". * Italy may declare a heightened "state of alert" on gas next week if Russia continues to curb its supplies, two government sources said on Friday after energy company Eni reported a shortfall in flows from Moscow for the third day in a row. * Gas flows from Germany to France have stopped since June 15 after what German officials on Friday described as Russia's politically motivated decision to reduce supplies to the European Union. * Ukraine has received a loan of one billion Canadian dollars ($770 million) on concessional terms, its first funds through an "administered account" set up by the International Monetary Fund, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said on Friday.

QUOTES * "We are strong people and can cope with any challenge. Like our ancestors, we will solve any problem, the entire thousand-year history of our country speaks of this." - Russian President Vladimir Putin * "Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective. We want them to live with us the European dream." - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Compiled by Stephen Coates)