Ukraine said  that its forces have been pushed back from the centre of the eastern city of Severodonetsk, where fighting with Russia has raged for weeks.

“The enemy, with support of artillery, carried out assault operations in the city of Severodonetsk, had partial success, pushed our units away from the city centre,” the Ukrainian military said on Facebook.

The local governor, Sergiy Gaiday, said “the Russians were partially successful at night” in the city.

They “pushed our troops from the centre and continue to destroy our city,” he said on Facebook.

Gaiday said Moscow’s forces were “gathering more and more equipment” to “encircle” Severodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk.

He added that three civilians were killed by shelling in Lysychansk, across a river from Severodonetsk, in the last 24 hours, including a six-year-old boy.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said late on Sunday that Ukrainian and Russian forces were fighting for “literally every meter” in Severodonetsk.