Ukraine invasion

The UK is phasing out Russian oil and the EU is sharply reducing gas imports as countries harden their response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Biden said the move meant the "American people will deal another powerful blow" to Putin's leadership.

"We will not be part of subsidising Putin's war," Biden added.

Despite mounting fears of rising gas prices, the move has widespread bipartisan political support in the US.

The announcement came after two days of failed ceasefires to let civilians escape the besieged city of Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands of people are trapped without food and water, under relentless bombardment and unable to evacuate their wounded.

The new "corridors" would be opened at 10 am Moscow time (8pm NZT) from the capital Kyiv and the eastern cities of Kharkiv and Sumy, as well as Mariupol, Russia's defence ministry said.

Most people trapped in the port city are sleeping in bomb shelters to escape more than six days of near-constant shelling by encircling Russian forces that has cut off food, water, power and heating supplies, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

The civilian death toll from hostilities across Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion on 24 February stood at 364, including more than 20 children, according to the United Nations on Sunday, with hundreds more injured.

"We have nothing to lose but our own freedom," he said.

Britain's defence ministry said the main body of the huge Russian column advancing on Kyiv was still 30km from the city centre, held up by Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion.

In Borodyanka, a town 60km northwest of Kyiv where local people repelled a Russian assault, burnt-out hulks of destroyed Russian armour were scattered on a highway, surrounded by buildings blasted into ruins.

One of his friends said Naveen S Gyanagoudar, 22, had spoken to him shortly before his death on Tuesday.

Thousands of Indian citizens are still in Ukraine and are pleading to be evacuated after Russian troops invaded.

India has launched an operation to get its citizens home but it's been facing logistical hurdles.

India's foreign ministry confirmed that Gyanagoudar had died in shelling in Kharkiv and said it was in contact with his family.

But there is division over whether President Putin's actions are to be condemned or applauded, BBC Russian reporters discover.

When two young well-dressed men stop to chat to the BBC, one of them appears fairly relaxed about the invasion of Ukraine.

"Yes, we heard something but haven't had a chance to understand what's going on," he says.

But he is soon interrupted by his friend, swearing as he does so.

"We are shocked," he says. "We have never seen war in our lifetime and we are about to see one."

A man in a bright blue coat looks miserable.