Ukrainian forces appear to retake Kupiansk amid advances in north-east

Kyiv reportedly takes control of vital town and encircles thousands of Russian troops in Izium

• Ukraine-Russia war: latest updates

Ukrainian forces are continuing to make unexpectedly rapid advances in the north-east of the country, as Kyiv appears to have retaken control of the strategically vital towns of Kupiansk and Izium, Moscow's stronghold in the north-east sector of the front.

Ukrainian troops have in the past few days pushed Russian forces out of a number of settlements in the region that Moscow occupied since the first days of its invasion.