Ukraine facing ‘difficult’ situation in Kharkiv region, military chief says

Ukrainian commander admits his forces are on the back foot as Russia claims to have taken more villages

Ukraine's top military commander admitted on Sunday that the situation in the north-eastern Kharkiv region was difficult" as Russia continued an assault in the area and Moscow claimed to have captured several more villages.

Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi denied that the Russians had made a significant breakthrough, but said his forces were on the back foot. [We] are fighting fierce defensive battles. The attempts of the Russian invaders to break through our defences have been stopped," he wrote in a statement on Telegram.