Ukrainian President Volodymyr has said the Donbas region of east Ukraine is continuing to see what he called "massive air and artillery strikes."
"The goal of the occupiers in this direction remains the same - they want to destroy the whole Donbas step by step" he said in his nightly address.
Zelenskyy also said he expects a decision this evening on whether Ukraine will be granted EU candidate status.
The cities, towns and villages in the Luhansk region have been the focus of severe fighting for several weeks, with Russian and Ukrainian forces engaged in street battles while Russian artillery fire destroys infrastructure and homes in the region.
Which remain high between Russia and Lithuania after the latter, a NATO member, banned the rail transfer of all EU sanctioned goods (such as metals, coal, construction materials and high-technology products) coming from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea.
Russia has warned of "serious" what it has called "hostile actions" of Lithuania, while NATO members have reiterated their support for the country.
Russia and Belarus should take urgent measures to improve their air defense capabilities and troops' combat readiness, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said, according to comments reported by Russian news agency Interfax.
"Circumstances dictate the need to take urgent joint measures on strengthening the defense capabilities of the union state, increase the combat readiness of troop groupings and the unified regional air defense system," Interfax quoted Shoigu as telling his Belarusian counterpart in Moscow.
The minister added that the issue is becoming increasingly urgent, and Russia is ready to provide "any support to Belarusian friends" in this, Interfax added.
Battle for Severodonetsk and Lysychansk entering 'fearsome climax,' official warns
The battle for the neighboring cities of and Lysychansk in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine is "entering a sort of fearsome climax," an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, Sky News reported.
Oleksiy Arestovych, speaking on national television, compared the situation to the "18th round" of a boxing match and said the "phase looked terrifying from a military point of view."
Several top officials in the Donbas have been issuing daily updates and warnings on the dire situation in the region as Russia's forces gain ground slowly but surely.
The U.K.'s Ministry of Defense also issued an intelligence update on Thursday stating that Russian fighters had shown "improved performance" in the region, where they have concentrated their firepower.
Usa sportswear giant Nike will exit Russia completely, the company told Reuters in an emailed statement Thursday.
The move comes several months after the brand suspended its operations at Nike-owned and operated stores in Russia following the country's invasion of Ukraine.
has now joined other Western corporate giants like McDonald's in pulling out from the country.
"NIKE has made the decision to leave the Russian marketplace. Our priority is to ensure we are fully supporting our employees while we responsibly scale down our operations over the coming months,the firm said in an emailed statement, Reuters reported.
Britons and Moroccan captured in Ukraine preparing to appeal death sentence
British nationals Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin and Moroccan Saadoun Brahim who were captured in the Donbas in east Ukraine and sentenced to death for taking part in the conflict are preparing an appeal against the verdict, according to Russian news agency TASS.
Shaun Pinner's lawyer Yulia Tserkovnikova told TASS that they have begun to prepare petitions for clemency, which can be submitted only after the verdict enters into force.
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