FIRST THING: PUTIN ORDERS BLOCKADE OF MARIUPOL STEELWORKS

Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian forces to blockade the Mariupol steelworks rather than storming the area, after his defence minister admitted thousands of Ukrainian troops continued to resist there.

Putin called for Russian troops to blockade the Azovstal steelworks – the Ukrainian army’s last stronghold in the besieged city – “so that a fly can’t get through”. Russian officials had claimed that their troops would seize the plant by Thursday afternoon, while a Ukrainian marine commander said on Wednesday his country’s forces there were “maybe facing our last days, if not hours”.

The change in tactics comes as the US and allies warned of intelligence that Russia is considering cyber-attacks on countries supporting Ukraine as forces struggle to make military inroads. “Evolving intelligence indicates that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyber-attacks,” the