Ukraine-Russia war latest: Fighting 'intensifies in eastern Ukraine as troops fall back'; UK estimates 450,000 Russian losses since war began

The big news last week was the US passing its $61bn (£48.1bn) aid package for Ukraine after months of delay. 

The House of Representatives - which had been blocking the military aid - approved the package the weekend before, but it was officially signed into law on Wednesday. 

Joe Biden said it had been a "difficult path" but America eventually "rose to the moment" as it was signed into law. 

Long-range missiles from US already in use in Ukraine 

The initial package of aid will include long-range missiles, the US confirmed - but then it emerged that such missiles had already been provided in "secret".

Kyiv has used long-range ballistic missiles from the US against Russia twice this month, according to NBC News.

Three US officials told Sky News's partner network on Wednesday that Ukraine first used the Army Tactical Missile System - dubbed ATACMS - on 17 April.

It has a range of about 187 miles.

Long-range weaponry has previously been held back for fear it would be used in attacks inside Russia - and concerns over the potential for NATO missiles landing there to provoke a wider escalation.

Why was the bill finally approved?

The change of heart from House Republicans came after a meeting between the Republican speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, and Donald Trump, whose supporters have been vocal in their opposition to aid for Ukraine.

Read more on that here...

'Urgently' needed Patriot missiles

A second military aid package worth $6bn (£4.8bn) - which includes Patriot missiles - was also approved by the US.

It includes more munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and gear to integrate Western air defence launchers, missiles and radars into Ukraine's existing weaponry, much of which dates back to Soviet times.

Spain will also reportedly send Patriot missiles as a way to "step up" its "commitment to Ukraine," according to a Spanish diplomatic source.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously asked for at least seven Patriot systems to protect Ukrainian cities, saying they were needed "urgently".

Fighting intensifies in eastern Ukraine 

And this is why Ukraine says it desperately needs more military aid...

On Sunday, Ukraine's top general said fighting had intensified in the east of the country, with troops falling back in three areas. 

Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russian troops achieved "certain tactical successes" in the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka, all of which are in the eastern Donetsk region.

Russia has been pushing forward in Donetsk, particularly in the area of Avdiivka. 

Ukraine says it is outgunned and outmanned, and as a result is slowly losing ground. 

Reports also suggest Russia has set its sights on the strategic town of Chasiv Yar which, if captured, would make it easier for Moscow to advance further in the east. 

Potential Russian summer offensive

Elsewhere, a commander from Ukraine's National Guard has said Russia is planning "unpleasant surprises" in a potential summer offensive.

Oleksandr Pivnenko told news outlet Liga Net that, as part of this, the National Guard does not rule out Russian attempts to target Kharkiv - the country's second-largest city.

Kharkiv and the surrounding region have been the focus of recent attacks from Moscow, experiencing the most intense strikes. 

UK funding

On Tuesday, Rishi Sunak announced a £500m military aid package for Ukraine - the UK's largest military pledge to the country.

In a speech in Warsaw, Poland, Mr Sunak said: "An investment in Ukraine is an investment in our security."

The prime minister also said he would put the UK's own defence industry "on a war footing" as he confirmed an increase in defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2030.

Russia-Finland tensions

Russia hit out at NATO exercises near its border with Finland, warning they raised the risk of "possible military incidents".

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, told the RIA state news agency the drills are "provocative".

Commenting on Friday's drills, Ms Zakharova said: "NATO military exercises near the Russian borders are provocative in nature. 

"Their task is to exert military pressure on the Russian Federation through a demonstration of force."

She added: "The drills... increase the risks of possible military incidents."

That's all from our live coverage for tonight. For a reminder of today's updates, you can scroll back through this live blog. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is still waiting for promised supplies from its allies, urging the international community to hurry up. 

In his nightly video address today, he said: "We are expecting those volumes and scope that can change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine's interests." 

He also said he had spoken with US House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, and had thanked Congress for passing the long-awaited aid package for Ukraine. 

"In my conversation with Mr Jeffries, I underscored that Patriot systems are needed, and as soon as possible," he said. 

Ukrainian forces are facing a worsening position in the east and are still awaiting the delivery of US weapons. 

Mr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for more air defence systems to protect its citizens and infrastructure, particularly the Patriot systems. 

Russia will start restricting those called up for military service from leaving the country, according to news site Meduza. 

Electronic summonses will reportedly be sent out from 1 November.

Those who are called up will not be allowed to leave Russia, and they will face further restrictions if they do not go to a military registration and enlistment office within 20 days.

In that case, they will not be allowed to register to run a business, drive a car, take out loans, or conduct real estate transactions, Meduza said.

New satellite imagery appears to show damage at Russia's Kushchyovskaya military airbase in the Krasnodar region. 

Planet Labs shared images comparing how the base looked on 19 March compared with today. 

A source in Ukraine's security and defence forces earlier told Ukrainian media that Kyiv had launched drone strikes against the airbase and two oil refineries overnight. 

They told the Kyiv Independent the SBU and Ukraine's Defence Forces hit the airbase where "dozens of military aircraft, radars, and electronic warfare devices were stationed".

Earlier we brought you news of a Russian drone strike on the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv. 

The attack set a hotel ablaze and damaged energy infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said. 

Vitaliy Kim, the governor of the southern Mykolaiv region, said in an update the attack had "seriously damaged" the hotel.

The strike also damaged heat-generating infrastructure in the city.

There were no casualties, he said. 

A priest sprinkles holy water on believers holding willow branches during an Orthodox Palm Sunday service. 

The service is being held in Donetsk, in an area occupied by Russian forces. 

Russia gained full control of the city of Donetsk in October 2022, but the area has been a major site of fighting since 2014. 

The majority of people in Ukraine are Orthodox Christian, although they follow different branches. 

As we've been reporting, Russia has been pushing forward in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. 

Ukrainian military officials say their troops are falling back to new positions in at least three places along the frontlines. 

But they are facing public criticism about the transparency of their military updates. 

Ukrainian military blogger Myroshnykov and Ukraine's DeepState monitoring group, which updates daily changes in frontline positions, both say the updates have been unrealistic. 

DeepState shared a video on social media of a Russian soldier being killed in a drone strike in the village of Soloviove, arguing such footage was being used to mask a bigger picture. 

"You can watch with pleasure forever the video of a Russian [soldier] being torn to pieces, but nearby there is another location that requires attention: Muscovites calmly moving around the village, keeping it under control. 

"The [Ukrainian] Defence Forces inflict fire damage on them, and one can repeat at least a billion times that two-thirds of the village is under the control of the Ukrainian military, but the picture of reality is completely different." 

It appeared to be referring to a statement from Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military in the east, who also said the nearby village of Ocheretyne was still two-thirds controlled by Ukraine. 

However, DeepState says it believes Russian troops have been in control of the centre of Ocheretyne for at least three days. 

The site accused some military spokespersons of incompetence last week. 

Police have arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder following the killings yesterday evening, German news agency dpa reported. 

The two Ukrainians were 23 and 36 years old, and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

They were killed at a shopping centre in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria.

The names of the victims and suspect have not been released due to German privacy rules. 

It is not clear if the men knew each other. 

More than one million Ukrainian refugees fled to Germany following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Donald Trump's stance on Ukraine is "not as black and white as some people think", the Polish foreign minister has said. 

The former US president, who is running for election again this year, has said he will not commit to providing Ukraine with defence assistance. 

Republicans aligned with Mr Trump were also the reason behind a six-month delay to aid for Ukraine. 

But foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in an interview with the Axel Springer media company that Mr Trump had sent Ukraine anti-tank missiles before Russia's invasion "when others were not doing it". 

He was referring to Javelin anti-tank missiles supplied by the US in 2018. 

Mr Sikorski also said Mr Trump was "right in urging us all in Europe to spend more on defence".

He said he "did not hear any protests from Trump" once the $61bn aid package for Ukraine was approved. 

"So, I hope that candidate Trump has seen that this opposition to helping Ukraine is not actually popular in the United States, that it is harming his chances [to be re-elected]," he added.