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Families flee as Vladimir Putin's forces close in on Ukrainian town as Russian advances towards big population centres in eastern Ukraine gathers pace
Advances by Vladimir Putin's forces across eastern Ukraine gathered pace yesterday with reports they had seized another key town.
Russian flags were seen flying over Niu York, a Donetsk region settlement named after the US city, after what Moscow's defence ministry described as 'intense action'.
Away from the headline-grabbing incursion into southern Russia by Ukrainian troops, Kremlin forces have swept across Donetsk in recent weeks.
The Russians heavily outnumber defending troops in eastern Ukraine and are well supplied with artillery and weaponry.
By contrast, Ukrainian units have reported shell shortages, leading to rationing.
Russia's tempo of operations in Ukraine has accelerated despite the shock counter-invasion by President Volodymyr Zelensky's regime.
Ukrainian soldiers prepare a vehicle adapted to fire helicopter shells as the Russia-Ukraine war continues in the direction of Toretsk, Ukraine
Vladimir Putin's Russian troops heavily outnumber those defending in eastern Ukraine and are well supplied with artillery and weaponry
Russia's rapid advance has already forced tens of thousands of Ukrainians to leave their homes (Pictured: A young woman stays in line for evacuation train in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region)
To escape the advancing Russian forces, Ukrainians boarded trains and buses (Pictured: A woman comes into evacuation train in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region)
While many observers expected the Kremlin to withdraw thousands of troops from eastern Ukraine to stem the tide of Kyiv's advance, this has not transpired.
These soldiers have remained in situ, pressing ahead night and day in a bid to capture the whole of the Donetsk province by November - a target set by the Kremlin.
Russia's rapid advance has already forced tens of thousands of Ukrainians to leave their homes - and last night there were fears Moscow-led troops could also seize the industrial town of Toretsk, near Niu York.
Ukraine's military chief General Oleksandr Syrsky said his country's forces were 'doing everything necessary' in a bid to protect Toretsk, while President Zelenksy described the situation there as 'difficult'.
In the last 24 hours, some 14 separate advances by Russian troops have been reported in Toretsk and 34 in nearby Pokrovsk, which has a population of 53,000.
The most advanced Russian troops are just six miles from Pokrovsk, according to the latest reports.
Katerina Yanzhula, a government official in Pokrovsk, said: 'Russian forces are moving towards the outskirts, it is no secret. Maybe the situation there will change somehow.
'We hope the enemy will stop and our troops will repel them.'
Russia's tempo of operations in Ukraine has accelerated despite the shock counter-invasion by President Volodymyr Zelensky's (pictured) regime
A Ukrainian tank near the Russian border. Ukrainian forces have been engaged in a military incursion into Russia's Kursk region since August 6
Ukrainian forces are understood to be outgunned in these areas because ammunition and equipment was prioritised for the Kursk invasion.
To escape the advancing Russian forces, Ukrainians boarded trains and buses. Many people were seen weeping as they waited to depart. Soldiers helped the elderly and disabled.
Natalya Ivaniuk, who fled her village with her two young daughters, said: 'We barely got out. It was terrifyingly scary.'
While the incursion into Kursk has gained precious Russian territory and scored points politically, Kyiv's forces are in retreat in the eastern provinces of Ukraine.
Appealing yet again for further Western assistance, President Zelensky said: 'If our partners lifted all the current restrictions on the use of weapons on Russian territory, we would not need to enter Kursk.'
His troops are unable to use their UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles due to objections put forward by the United States. By contrast, the Ukrainians can use their long-range French rockets in Kursk.