Ukraine latest: Russia's threat over Kaliningrad, Merrick Garland visits, and Snake Island bombing in pictures

Ukraine says fighting continues in the area of Sievierodonetsk. (Reuters: Oleksandr Ratushniak)

Russia has threatened a "serious negative impact" following Lithuania's decision to ban transport to its isolated territory of Kaliningrad, the US Attorney-General Merrick Garland has paid a visit to a border town, and the infamous Snake Island is back on the radar.

Here's the latest on the war in Ukraine.

What's happening in Kaliningrad?

First up, where is it? Crucially, this Russian territory is sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania:

It's connected to the rest of Russia by a rail link through Lithuania (which is both a member of the EU and NATO).

The neighbouring nation has shut the route for transport of steel and other ferrous metals, which it says it is required to do under EU sanctions that took effect on the weekend.

And Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's security council, said (without elaborating) that "appropriate measures" were being worked out and:

Here's what else is going on

• US Attorney-General Merrick Garland affirmed Washington's commitment to identify, arrest and prosecute those involved in war crimes and atrocities committed during Russia's invasion
• Russian forces have captured several settlements near the embattled cities of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk in the eastern Luhansk region, the regional Governor and Ukraine's general staff say
• And Ukraine is set to become an official candidate for EU membership on Thursday in a symbolic but morale-boosting decision, ministers and diplomats say

The latest pictures

These images capture the war in Sievierodonetsk, a frontline city in Ukraine's east.

They were taken on Monday and filed today:

Ukrainian soldiers watch as a nearby tank fires toward Russian troops. (Reuters: Oleksandr Ratushniak)

A soldier takes a moment to pet a dog. (Reuters: Oleksandr Ratushniak)

And war crimes prosecutors are investigating in Kharkiv, after overnight shelling. This is some of the damage:

A worker from the war crimes prosecutor's office outside Kharkiv's Housing and Communal College. (Reuters: Leah Millis)

Russian shelling killed at least 15 civilians in the area, the regional Governor said.

The war in maps

Remember Snake Island? Audio from February of a reported exchange between Ukrainian guards stationed on the island and Russian forces demanding their surrender ended with this infamous line:

Ukrainian forces had claimed their first successful use of Western-donated Harpoon anti-ship missiles to engage Russian forces on the island, according to British military intelligence.

New satellite images show Russian positions on the island before and after the reported attacks:

Satellite images show before and after of attacks on Snake Island.

And the Institute for the Study of War has released its latest summary of the situation on the ground.

The think tank said Russia could be "radically reshuffling" its command structure, indicating a possible purge of senior officers blamed for failures in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy's daily update

In his nightly address, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was "putting serious pressure in the Donetsk's direction", as well as shelling Kharkiv:

Mr Zelenskyy says the military situation in the eastern region of Luhansk remains very difficult. (Supplied)

He reiterated his plea for weapons from the West: "The lives of thousands of people depend directly on the speed of our partners, on the speed of how they implement their decisions to help Ukraine."

Last word

Here's Mark Hertling, a former commander of US ground forces in Europe:

ABC/wires