Russian defence minister updates Putin on Ukraine military campaign - Interfax

- Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu updated President Vladimir Putin and Russia's Security Council about Russia's military operation in Ukraine on Thursday, the Interfax news agency cited the Kremlin as saying.

Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what it called a special operation to degrade its southern neighbour's military capabilities and root out people it called dangerous nationalists.

Ukrainian forces have mounted stiff resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to force it to withdraw its forces.