Russian soldiers have gained a foothold in the strategic eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Ukrainian president said Russia had devoted vast numbers of troops to capturing the town, which is a key part of Kyiv's defensive lines in Donetsk, but that it had so far failed to do so.

By holding nuclear drills and boasting about a successful test of a pioneering atomic-powered cruise missile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending a message to President Donald Trump: Moscow won’t be cowed into making concessions on Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is now believed to be more dug in than ever, according to a recent intelligence assessment.

Gun and drone street battles are taking place in the key city of Pokrovsk infiltrated by around 200 Russian soldiers, say Ukrainian defence chiefs. Ukraine is rushing to strengthen its positions in the strategic eastern city in the Donetsk province of the Donbas region.

President Trump refuses to waste time on an unproductive summit with Vladimir Putin, citing the need for a guaranteed Ukraine peace agreement before any meeting occurs.

In addition to the economic warfare, Ukraine’s long-range strikes on refineries had by last month destroyed or damaged about 20 percent of Russia’s refining capacity, according to one analyst. That has caused severe gasoline shortages in several regions, as Ukraine tries to bring the pain of war to ordinary Russians.

European leaders vowed to work in coordination to ratchet up the pressure on Russia as the so-called “coalition of the willing” met in London to discuss strategies to end the war in Ukraine.

Officials say Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday have killed at least four people and wounded 20.

An estimated 2,000 Colombian mercenaries serve on Ukraine's front lines, defending against Russia's aggression. They face death and serious injuries on the conflict's brutal battlefields, for pay that could change their lives on the return home.