Ukrainian shelling claims lives of four in Donetsk, says Russia

Ukrainian shelling on Thursday (May 16) claimed the lives of four women in the Russian-held city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, said the region's Moscow-installed authorities.

"Four women born in 1986, 1980, 1961 and 1952 were killed on Petrovsky Street near public transport stop School No. 106," the authorities said in a Telegram post.

The attack injured two others, a girl born in the year 2018 and a man born in 1987, while separate shelling of a nearby town wounded a man aged around 70, they said.

Ukraine's Zelensky meets military leaders in Kharkiv, says situation 'very difficult'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday (May 16) saidthe current military situation in Kharkiv's northeastern region was "extremely difficult". However, he said it was still "under control".

His statement came following his meeting with the military chiefs near the front line.

"The situation in the Kharkiv region is generally under control, and our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. However, the area remains extremely difficult. We are reinforcing our units," he said in a post on his official Telegram channel.

The Ukrainian military had earlier said that it had managed to halt Russia's advances in some of the places partially.

"Our defence forces have partially stabilised the situation. The advance of the enemy in certain zones and localities has been halted," army spokesman Nazar Voloshin said on state TV on Thursday.

In a daily briefing, Ukraine's General Staff said its forces had "significantly reduced the activity of the Russian occupiers."

"But the enemy is still trying to create the conditions for further advances," Voloshin warned.

Ukraine accuses Russia of killing civilians

Kyiv also accused the Russian army of claiming the lives of dozens of civilians in the territory that it had taken control of last week.

"According to operational information, the Russian military, trying to gain a foothold in the city, did not allow local residents to evacuate: they began abducting people and driving them to basements," Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said on Telegram.

There were also "reports of the first shootings of civilians by the Russian military," he said, further adding that the probe into the war crimes was now opened.

"One of the residents of Vovchansk tried to escape on foot, refused to follow the commands of the invaders, and was killed by the Russians."

(With inputs from agencies)