Introduction

The BBC’s Fergal Keane presents today’s episode of Ukrainecast from Lviv in western Ukraine – thousands of refugees are flowing through the city as they try to leave the country.

He’s joined by the BBC's Abdujalil Abdurasulov, who’s in Kyiv as Russian forces continue to slowly advance, and Kevin Connolly, former Moscow BBC correspondent. They discuss Russia’s strategy to take Kyiv and who Putin’s allies are.

The Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who’s living in exile, also explains why she feels her country’s future is so closely connected to the fate of Ukraine.

Today’s Newscast was made by Alison Gee with Alix Pickles. The studio directors were Sharmini Ashton-Griffiths and Wayne Moses. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.