Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

* Ukraine has started receiving Harpoon anti-ship missiles from Denmark and self-propelled howitzers from the United States, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said. DIPLOMACY * A senior pro-Russian official in the occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson told Reuters that nearby fighting could affect the timing of its bid to join Russia and a decision was likely "towards next year". * French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Putin to release the 2,500 Ukrainian defenders of the Azovstal steel plant detained by Russian forces, the Elysee palace said.

Russian forces have stepped up their assault on the eastern Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk after claiming to have captured the nearby rail hub of Lyman, as Kyiv intensified calls for longer-range weapons from the West. FIGHTING

* "With the use of artillery, Russian forces carried out assault operations in the area of the city of Sievierodonetsk," the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said. "The fighting continues." * Some 50 homes in the village of Demydiv remain partially submerged months after a dam was destroyed and the area flooded to stop Russian troops from advancing on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, said regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba.

* Russia said it used missile strikes to destroy Ukrainian command posts in Bakhmut and Soledar. Both towns are on an important road running southwest from Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk. * Ukraine has started receiving Harpoon anti-ship missiles from Denmark and self-propelled howitzers from the United States, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.

DIPLOMACY * A senior pro-Russian official in the occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson told Reuters that nearby fighting could affect the timing of its bid to join Russia and a decision was likely "towards next year".

* French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Putin to release the 2,500 Ukrainian defenders of the Azovstal steel plant detained by Russian forces, the Elysee palace said. * Putin told Macron and Scholz that Russia was willing to discuss ways to make it possible for Ukraine to resume shipments of grain from Black Sea ports, the Kremlin said.

COMING UP * An EU summit on Monday and Tuesday could see divisions between members who want to take a hard line against Russia and those calling for a ceasefire. 

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