Russia claims its troops have seized control of four more Ukrainian villages as intense fighting continues in the Kharkiv region.

Ukraine‘s military chief said on Sunday its forces are doing all they can to hold the line in Kharkiv – with Moscow claiming another five villages on Saturday – but they are facing a “difficult situation”.

Russia’s surprise assault on the Kharkiv region began on Friday, threatening to open up a new front and stretch Ukraine’s already-outgunned and outmanned forces.

“Units of the defence forces are fighting fierce defensive battles, the attempts of the Russian invaders to break through our defences have been stopped,” Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

“The situation is difficult, but the defence forces of Ukraine are doing everything to hold defensive lines and positions, (and) inflict damage on the enemy.”

More than 4,000 civilians have fled the region, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov, while Kyiv sends reinforcements to try to plug a supply gap widened by delays in Western military aid.

Ukraine says several months of delays by the US Congress to vote through a huge aid package has cost its forces on the battlefield.

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That help is now on its way, but UK foreign secretary Lord David Cameron told Sky News on Sunday it “would have been better if it came earlier”.

Describing the Kharkiv offensive as an “extremely dangerous” moment, he said “we must do everything we can to help the Ukrainians”.

Over the border, at least seven people have been killed in the Russian region of Belgorod after a block of flats was struck by a Soviet-era missile launched by Ukraine.

The building partly collapsed.

Read more:
Ukrainians flee town’s fiercest attack yet
Putin seizes chance to hit Kharkiv

The blast, one of the deadliest attacks on the region, also injured 17 people.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the attack as “barbaric”.

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