Russia hits east Ukraine as Finland moves towards joining Nato

A crater of an explosion after Russian shelling is seen next to a damaged apartment building in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine (Andriy Andriyenko/AP)

Russian forces pounded areas in Ukraine’s east on Thursday, including the last pocket of resistance in besieged Mariupol, as a war that is redrawing Europe’s security map pushed Russia’s neighbour Finland closer to joining Nato.

Finland’s president and prime minister said on Thursday that the Nordic country should apply “without delay” for membership in the Western alliance, founded in part to counter the Soviet Union.