Ukraine marks 31 years since independence from the Soviet Union, a day that comes six months after Russia launched its invasion on February 24.
Public gatherings are banned in Kyiv while other cities are under curfew, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fears the possibility of “repugnant Russian provocations”.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog says it hopes to gain access to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine within days.
Moscow claims it has “deliberately” slowed its offensive to avoid civilian casualties.
