Russian forces ‘blockading cities to create humanitarian catastrophe’

Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the nation from Kyiv (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russian forces are blockading Ukraine’s largest cities to create a “humanitarian catastrophe” with the aim of persuading Ukrainians to cooperate with them.

He said Russians are preventing supplies from reaching surrounded cities in the centre and south east of the country.