Russian forces take control of 3 settlements

Russian forces have taken control of two more settlements in Ukraine's north-east Kharkiv region and one in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, the defence ministry said yesterday, building on a run of incremental gains that have alarmed Kyiv.

The defence ministry said in a statement that units from Russia's "North" military grouping had captured the settlements of Hlyboke and Lukyantsi in the Kharkiv region after intense fighting and had advanced "deep into the enemy defences."

The ministry spoke of heavy fighting in other parts of Kharkiv region too where it said Russian forces had repelled three Ukrainian counter attacks, reports Reuters.

Blinken announces an additional $2bn in military financing for Kyiv

Moscow's claims came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an additional $2bn in foreign military financing from the US for Ukraine while in Kyiv, and said Washington had not explicitly prohibited Ukraine from using Western weapons to strike targets inside Russia.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky cancelled planned trips abroad over the fresh offensive and the military was sending more troops to Kharkiv to hold back Russian advances, Kyiv said.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed his country's troops for advancing on "all fronts" on the battlefield in Ukraine, reports AFP.

"In all directions our troops are constantly, every day, improving their positions," Putin said.