British intel: Ukrainian forces advance up to 50km around Kharkiv

Ukrainian forces are seeing more success in their counter-offensive against Russian forces, according to British intelligence sources.

Some of the Ukrainian forces had advanced "up to 50 kilometres into previously Russian-held territory" in the south of the Kharkiv region, according to the latest British intelligence assessment published on Twitter on Saturday.

Russian forces were under pressure both on the northern and southern flanks of the conflict, it said.

The war in Ukraine has been raging since the Russian invasion on February 24. Ukraine has since then been supplied with billions of dollars in military aid by Western countries.

On Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian troops had recaptured more than 30 towns and villages in eastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region.

"We are gradually taking control of new settlements," he said. "Everywhere we are bringing back the Ukrainian flag and protection for our people."

He noted that "fierce fighting" was continuing in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine as well as in the south of the country.