Ukraine may be losing between 50-100 lives in the east every day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a press briefing on Sunday.

He said those killed were defending Ukraine in “the most difficult direction”.

Zelensky did not elaborate further but the comments appear to be a reference to military losses and are a sign of how fierce the fighting is in the east.

Russian forces have stepped up their attempts to capture cities in the eastern Donbas region, with a focus on the city of Severodonetsk.