Kyiv brings in higher payments for volunteers and new punishments for draft dodgers

We have more in from Agence France-Presse (AFP) on the German chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Beijing to meet China’s president, Xi Jinping (see earlier post at 08.46 for more details).

Xi laid out what state media described as “four principles to prevent the Ukraine crisis from spiralling out of control and to restore peace”.

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage here

We’ve got a bit more from Swedish foreign minister Tobias Billstrom on the Nordic and Baltic nations pushing for more support for Ukraine. He said:

We support an increased role for Nato in providing security related assistance to Ukraine and coordinating military support and equipment.

This offers an opportunity to facilitate Ukraine’s path towards membership in the European family.

Watchdog condemns ‘reckless’ attack after inspectors find damage at Russian-controlled power station

Russia and Ukraine have each accused the other of launching kamikaze drones at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in an incident condemned by the International Atomic Energy Agency for recklessly endangering safety.

The nuclear watchdog said onsite inspectors had seen the damage caused by drone detonations at three locations, including “superficial scorching” at the top of the roof of reactor 6, although it said its structural integrity was not compromised.

Russian-controlled power station says drone shot down over roof over reactor number six, which is currently shut down

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has condemned a drone strike on one of six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. “This cannot happen,” director general Rafael Grossi wrote on a social media post, adding, “No one can conceivably benefit or get any military or political advantage from attacks against nuclear facilities. This is a no go.”

The Kremlin continues to blame Ukraine for the attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, calling them “very dangerous”, but a senior Ukrainian intelligence officer has denied Kyiv’s involvement. The Guardian is unable to independently verify either account.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Beijing on Monday to display the strength of ties with close diplomatic ally China, amid Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Despite its backing of Russia in the Ukraine war, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters Monday that “China has an objective and fair position on the Ukraine issue … We have been actively promoting peace talks and political solutions. China is not a creator or party to the Ukraine crisis, and we have not and will not do anything to profit from it.”

The US Treasury Secretary has threatened sanctions on China’s banks which aid Russia’s military capacity, amid Russia’s diplomatic visit to China. She told reporters, as she wrapped up four days of talks with China, that “any banks that facilitate significant transactions that channel military or dual-use goods to Russia’s defence industrial base expose themselves to the risk of US sanctions.”

The Kremlin has warned that a planned German military presence in Lithuania would escalate tensions. The Nato military alliance and EU member Lithuania, which borders Russia and its ally Belarus, said earlier it would partly finance permanently hosting of 5,000 German troops from 2027.

More than 10,400 homes across Russia have been flooded, triggering record water levels in the Ural mountains, Russia’s emergency ministry have said. “An increase in air temperatures, active snow melt and river openings are predicted,” Russia’s emergency ministry said. “More than 10,400 residential buildings remain flooded in 39 regions.” Russia’s government declared a federal emergency on Sunday over flood-hit areas, state media reported.

A member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) accused of taking money from a pro-Russian media site has denied any wrongdoing. German magazine Der Spiegel and Czech newspaper Denik N reported that Bystron had received money from the portal Voice of Europe, which was sanctioned by the Czech government late last month due to suspected Russian influence. Petr Bystron, a member of the German parliament and an AfD candidate in European parliament elections set for June, has “vehemently denied” the allegations, an AfD spokesperson told Reuters.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday, after four days of talks with China, that she has warned the country’s banks and exporters of aiding Russia’s military capacity.

I stressed that companies, including those in the PRC, must not provide material support for Russia’s war and that they will face significant consequences if they do. And I reinforced that any banks that facilitate significant transactions that channel military or dual-use goods to Russia’s defence industrial base expose themselves to the risk of U.S. sanctions.