Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

A Ukrainian counteroffensive was underway near the Russian-held town of Izium, but its military said Russian forces were advancing elsewhere in the key Donbas region, Ukraine said. QUOTE "We had a victory: today in Eurovision, but soon we will have a victory in Ukraine-Russian war," Tetyana, a military medic, said in a Kyiv basement after Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the popular song contest.

A Ukrainian counteroffensive was underway near the Russian-held town of Izium, but its military said Russian forces were advancing elsewhere in the key Donbas region, Ukraine said. FIGHTING, CIVILIANS

* British military intelligence said Russia's offensive in the Donbas "has lost momentum and fallen significantly behind schedule", with a dramatic acceleration unlikely over the next 30 days. * Russia, rejecting Ukraine's claim to have set alight a modern navy logistics ship in the Black Sea, showed photos of what it said was the Vsevolod Bobrov with no signs of damage.

* Refugees from bombed-out Mariupol spoke of devastation as they reached Ukrainian-controlled Zaporizhzhia in a large convoy of cars and vans after waiting days for Russian troops to let them leave. * Russia's defense ministry said its forces had hit Ukrainian command posts, ammunition depots, and other military equipment in several regions, including the Donbas, killing at least 100 Ukrainian "nationalists".

DIPLOMACY * G7 foreign ministers vowed to reinforce Russia's economic and political isolation, continue supplying weapons to Ukraine and work to ease global food shortages stemming from the war.

* Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said the country's diplomats in Washington were being threatened with violence, Tass reported. * NATO's deputy secretary-general expressed confidence Turkey's concerns over Finland and Sweden joining NATO could be addressed after Turkey said it had not shut the door to their entry.

* Sweden's ruling Social Democrats were poised to come out in favor of joining NATO, paving the way for an application soon after and abandoning decades of military non-alignment. QUOTE

"We had a victory: today in Eurovision, but soon we will have a victory in Ukraine-Russian war," Tetyana, a military medic, said in a Kyiv basement after Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the popular song contest.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)