Russia announced a ceasefire starting Monday morning and the opening of humanitarian corridors in several areas, a day after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummelled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south, leaving corpses in the streets. As Ukraine officials described a catastrophic situation during failed evacuation efforts in Kyiv's suburbs, officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday.

The price of oil jumped more than 10 a barrel and shares were sharply lower Monday as the conflict in Ukraine deepened amid mounting calls for harsher sanctions against Russia.

Russian forces intensified shelling of cities in Ukraine's centre, north and south, a Ukrainian official said, as a second attempt to evacuate besieged civilians collapsed.

Lviv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk for giving Ukraine access to his company's satellite-internet system, called Starlink.

The head of the United Nations' refugee agency says that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries since Russia invaded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and likened the West's sanctions on Russia to declaring war, while a promised cease-fire in the port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror in the besieged town.

Mastercard and Visa are suspending their operations in Russia, the companies have said, in the latest blow to the country's financial system after its invasion of Ukraine.