Russian missiles strike near Lviv airport: Some still trapped under Mariupol theatre: An update

Picture courtesy BBC/Baby strollers demonstrated in memory of children killed in war

Till now 130 people have been rescued from the basement of a Mariupol theatre whereas 1,300 remain trapped, Ukraine's human rights chief says.

More than 3,50,000 people continue to hide in shelters and basements in the southern city of Mariupol where the situation remains “critical".

Meanwhile, Russian missiles on Friday targeted a facility used to repair military aircraft near the airport in Lviv, the Ukrainian authorities said. At least three blasts were heard in the western city of Lviv as reports airport has been hit.

However, no casualties were reported during the strike, news agency AP reported.

Russian forces have been fighting in Ukraine for more than three weeks now.

A Russian airstrike before dawn on Thursday killed 21 people and destroyed a school and community centre in Merefa near the northeast city of Kharkiv, local authorities said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the latest wave of military assistance from the US and declined to provide details of his country’s negotiating tactics with Russia. US President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping are scheduled to speak by phone on Friday. Biden also plans to travel to Europe next week for talks with European leaders about the Russian invasion and will attend an extraordinary NATO summit in Brussels. US President Joe Biden will urge China not to provide Russia with military equipment in a call with President Xi Jinping.

Two million people have fled Ukraine to Poland since the war began, the Polish Border Guard agency says.