Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

RUSSIAN forces advancing on the Ukraine capital Kyiv from the northeast have stalled, British intelligence said on Monday, as Ukraine rejected Russian calls for defenders to lay down their arms in the besieged city of Mariupol.

The invasion of Ukraine started with Russian troops crossing the border or landing by sea and air on Feb. 24. But Western countries say Russia's expectations of a swift victory and the removal of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government have been dashed and its invasion force has got bogged down.

European Union leaders this week will meet to consider imposing tougher sanctions on Russia including an oil embargo.

FIGHTING

* Russian air forces hit a Ukrainian army military facility in Rivne Region with cruise missiles, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Monday. full story

* Russian shells hit houses and a shopping district in Kyiv's Podil district killing at least four people, city authorities said. The late Sunday attack followed a relative lull over the weekend.

* Russian forces advancing on Kyiv from the northeast have stalled and the bulk of its forces remain more than 25 km (16 miles) from the centre of the city, British military intelligence said.

CIVILIANS

* Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk said more than 7,000 people were evacuated from cities through humanitarian corridors on Sunday, over half from Mariupol. She said he government planned to send nearly 50 buses there on Monday for more evacuations.

* At least 902 civilians have been killed and 1,459 wounded in Ukraine as of midnight on March 19, the U.N. human rights office said.Read full story

* Ten million people have been displaced, including nearly 3.4 million who have fled the country, the U.N. refugee agency said.

* The Chinese Red Cross will offer an additional 10 million yuan ($1.57 million) of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday.

DIPLOMACY

* Ukrainian President Zelenskiy addressed the Israeli parliament by video link and questioned Israel's reluctance to sell its Iron Dome missile defence system to Ukraine.

* European Union leaders meet this week to consider imposing tougher sanctions on Russia including an oil embargo.

* EU foreign ministers convene on Monday. U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in Brussels Thursday for summits with NATO's 30 members, as well as the EU and in a Group of Seven (G7) format including Japan.

QUOTES

* "The violent aggression against Ukraine is unfortunately not slowing down," Pope Francis said. "It is a senseless massacre where every day slaughters and atrocities are being repeated."

* "Kyiv calling to the whole world ... Come out of neutrality, you boys and girls," some of the lyrics from Ukrainian punk band Beton's reworking of the Clash's famous "London Calling".

READ MORE: Latest development on Ukraine-Russia crisis