Meanwhile, Boris Johnson will offer a “full throated apology” to MPs today after being fined for breaking Covid laws as he attempts to head off a rebellion. 

The Prime Minister will assure MPs that he “recognises the strength of feeling” over his fine, with many of his backbenchers understood to be waiting until after his statement to decide whether he retains their support. 

But Mr Johnson is expected to stop short of mentioning a leaving party that he has been accused of “instigating”.

Donbas battle as Russia launches major offensive

Russia has launched its long-feared offensive against Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region in what could become the pivotal battle of the war. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said the assault targeting the Donetsk and Luhansk regions had begun. Senior foreign correspondent Roland Oliphant explains how Western and Ukrainian officials have been warning about an assault on the Russian-speaking, heavily industrialised region since Vladimir Putin retreated from Kyiv at the end of March in the face of heavy losses. Amid reports that Britain will soon send armoured missile launchers to Ukraine, follow the latest throughout the day in our live blog. In other developments:

Supermarket brand swaps that taste just as good

With the cost of living digging deeper and inflation soaring, household budgets are under pressure. So to examine the branding in our supermarket aisles is becoming more crucial than ever. It has led money-saving expert Martin Lewis to encourage Britons to take what he calls the “Downshift Challenge” by opting for the slightly cheaper option when filling trolleys. But is it possible to not notice the difference? Eleanor Steafel reveals the budget staples that beat premium buys.

Also in the news: Today’s other headlines

Royals | The Queen returned to Windsor Castle and shut herself alone in her sitting room following the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, it has emerged. Angela Kelly, the Queen’s dressmaker and close confidante, recalled in an updated version of her memoir what the monarch opted to do in the aftermath of her husband’s funeral. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are understood to have been invited to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Around the world: ‘Gross violence’ in Sweden

Forty people have been left injured in Sweden after plans by a far-Right politician to stage public burnings of the Koran prompted violent protests. More than 40 people have been arrested following several days of unrest that have seen cars and a school set alight and police pelted with stones. Justin Huggler has our report on the latest.