KYIV, April 18 — The situation in Ukraine’s southeastern port city of Mariupol is "extremely difficult” but the city has not been taken under full control by Russian forces, a spokesman for Ukraine’s defence ministry said today.

Speaking at a media briefing, spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk also said that bombing runs by Russian military aircraft had increased of late by over 50 per cent and that Ukraine’s infrastructure had come in for increased targeting. — Reuters