Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says the situation on the front line of the more than two-and-a-half-year-old war against Russia is "very, very difficult," and Ukraine's forces had to do everything they could over the autumn period.
"Reports on each of our frontline sectors, our capabilities, our future capabilities and our specific tasks: The situation is very, very difficult," he said in his nightly video address, referring to a hours-long meeting with top commanders.
"Everything that can be done this autumn, everything that we can achieve must be achieved."
Ukraine forces have been defending the Donetsk region over the course of the war. (AP PHOTO)
Ukrainian military bloggers have reported in recent days that Russian forces have been advancing on the hilltop town of Vuhledar, which Ukrainian forces have defended over the course of the war, in the south of the Donetsk region.
Russian forces have also been advancing slowly for months further north, with the aim of capturing the entire Donbas region, made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Monday that its forces had captured the village of Nelipivka, south of the city of Toretsk, one of Moscow's targets in the area.