Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Dnipro building hit in Russian missile attack

The death toll from Russia's missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro has climbed to 18, officials said, while Britain said overnight it will soon send a squadron of its main battle tanks to help Ukraine's defence.

The death toll from Russia's missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro has climbed to 18, officials said, while Britain said overnight it will soon send a squadron of its main battle tanks to help Ukraine's defence. SOLEDAR

* Ukrainian forces are fighting to retain control of Soledar in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, the regional governor said on Saturday, contradicting Russian claims that Moscow's forces had captured the small town. * Reuters could not verify the accounts.

* Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, boasted on Saturday of his forces' prowess amid a simmering rivalry with the defence ministry over who should get credit for leading Russia's assault on Soledar. MOLDOVA

* Moldovan President Maia Sandu, denouncing "Russia's brutal war", said on Saturday that missile debris was found in her country near Ukraine's western border after the latest wave of Russian attacks. ARMS, DIPLOMACY

* Britain will send 14 of its Challenger 2 main battle tanks and artillery support to Ukraine, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office said on Saturday, disregarding criticism from the Russian Embassy. * Russia cancelled at the last minute on Saturday a scheduled prisoner exchange, the Ukrainian body dealing with prisoners said, after Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said Russian soldiers had allegedly reported instances of extortion while in Ukrainian captivity.

* Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday the G7 summit he will host in May should demonstrate a strong will to uphold the international order and rule of law after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. * Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Kishida of shameful subservience to the United States, suggesting on Saturday that he should ritually disembowel himself.

ECONOMY * Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said on Saturday that the coming days would be "difficult" on the energy front after a massive missile attack by Russia hit critical infrastructure in several regions.

QUOTE * "They keep sending SMS-es. We stop our work now and then to keep silence and we hear people scream from underneath the rubble," said Mikhailo Lysenko, deputy mayor of Dnipro, of rescue efforts at the apartment building. 

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