The Loop: Russian missile strike a 'significant escalation', pressure to cut fuel tax, and emotional award speech from Bond star

Good morning, it's Monday, March 14. Here's what you need to get going today.

One thing to know right now: There's been a Russian missile attack on a Ukrainian base near Poland

At least 35 people were killed and 134 wounded, a Ukrainian official says, but the death toll hasn't been verified yet.

The training base is 25 kilometres from the Polish border and has frequently hosted foreign instructors and NATO troops — but a NATO official says none of the alliance's personnel were there at the time.

A training base outside the small town of Novoyavorivsk was hit by multiple Russian missiles. (Supplied: Mykhailo Fedorov)

The UK says it's a "significant escalation" of the conflict — and Joe Biden has previously said NATO will defend every inch of its territory if Russia attacks any members of the Western defence alliance.

Here's what else happened overnight:

• Mariupol is still taking the worst of the bombardment, with civilians unable to flee without a ceasefire. The besieged port city still has more than 400,000 people stranded without reliable access to food, water, or heating.
• The US says there will be consequences for the death of an American journalist in Ukraine. Filmmaker Brent Renaud was reportedly killed by Russian fire near Irpin, west of Kyiv — he was reportedly working on a documentary on refugees

• Ukraine's President warns Russia is attempting to create more "pseudo-republics" like Donetsk and Luhansk in captured cities
• And Russian authorities have suspended the social media platform Instagram — the block is estimated to affect 80 million users in Russia

One thing you’ll be hearing about today: Will the fuel excise be cut?

The federal government is facing pressure within its own ranks to act on the rising price of fuel. Here's a breakdown for you:

• At least *part* of what we pay at the servo is this flat tax (it's just over 44 cents per litre) which was last reduced by the Howard government in 2001
• Some Coalition MP's are calling on the federal government to look at cutting the fuel excise to try and rein in the soaring price of fuel — Nationals MPs Anne Webster and Susan McDonald have both suggested a temporary cut to the excise should be considered
• And the Australian newspaper is reporting that Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has joined the call, writing to Scott Morrison arguing that Tasmania is amongst the worst-affected states
• Petrol prices are hitting $2.20 in some suburbs and more than $3 in regional and remote corners of the country

News while you snoozed

Let's get you up to speed.

• An Indigenous man shot by police last week remains in a critical condition in Royal Darwin Hospital. The 19-year-old has been in hospital since last Tuesday after being shot at six times by a police officer after allegedly threatening officers with a spear during an incident in the Palmerston suburb of Gray
• The New South Wales rail network remains crippled by recent flooding, with the Blue Mountains and Richmond lines still out of action. Buses continue to replace trains from Lithgow to Penrith while parts of the Richmond line are still submerged in floodwaters

The news Australia is searching for

• Saudi Arabia: Iran's foreign ministry condemned Saudi Arabia's execution of 81 men on the weekend as a "violation of basic human rights principles and international law", Iranian state media reported. Saudi Arabia's state news agency said the men executed on Saturday had the right to an attorney and were guaranteed their full rights under Saudi law during the judicial process.
• Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs: Last year's wooden-spooners opened their NRL season with a 6-4 victory over North Queensland in Townsville last night. The Cowboys opened the scoring in the 16th minute but the Bulldogs took the lead and managed to hold on as heavy rain fell during the final 15 minutes of play.

One more thing: It's a double awards day for Hollywood

Fair warning, spoilers to come here...

We've had some big winners in the BAFTAs already this morning, but Hollywood gets a *second* bite at the awards cherry with the Critics' Choice Awards ceremony from 10am AEST.

Sci-fi flick Dune took out five awards at the BAFTAs but Netflix's The Power of the Dog took out two big prizes — best picture and best director for Jane Campion.

But this might be an early contender for best speech — Lashana Lynch on her win for the latest Bond film, No Time to Die:

That's it for now

We'll be back later on with more.

ABC/wires