Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the embattled eastern town of Siversk, as Russia continues its steady - albeit slow - advance.
The Ukrainian military said on Tuesday it acted to preserve the lives of our soldiers and the combat capability of units, adding that Russian forces had a significant advantage in manpower.
The capture of Siversk brings Russia closer to the last remaining fortress belt cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk still in Ukrainian hands in the industrial Donetsk region.
Earlier in the day, officials said three people - including a young child - were killed in massive overnight Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
In a statement, the Ukrainian military said Russian troops were continuing active offensive actions in the Siversk area despite significant losses.
It added that Ukrainian defence forces had exhausted the enemy during the fighting for Siversk.
Before the Russian invasion, Siversk had about 11,000 people, and it has now been virtually wiped out as a town during many months of heavy fighting.
Moscow currently controls about 75% of the Donetsk region, with some 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk region under Russian control. The regions are collectively known as Donbas.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been under heavy pressure from US counterparts to cede all of Donbas to Russia during ongoing Washington-led peace negotiations, but he has rejected any territorial concessions, seeking firm security guarantees instead.
Meanwhile, recent airstrikes have left various regions in Ukraine, including central Zhytomyr, without power, with emergency measures expected due to falling temperatures.
