Russian forces launched almost 400 strikes on Sunday in Ukraine’s east as part of a campaign of artillery fire, Volodymyr Zelensky said: “The fiercest battles are in the Donetsk region. Although there were fewer attacks today due to worsening weather, the amount of Russian shelling unfortunately remains extremely high. In the Luhansk region, we are slowly moving forward while fighting. As of now, there have been almost 400 artillery attacks in the east since the start of the day”.

The city of Nikopol was hit by Russian shelling overnight, according to city officials. The shelling reportedly hit a residential area injuring a 78-year-old man.

The UN nuclear watchdog will conduct an assessment of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after the site was shelled more than a dozen times over the weekend. The blasts damaged buildings and equipment, none had been “critical” for nuclear safety and security, International Atomic Energy Agency said.

Negotiating with Russia would be “capitulation”, adviser to the Ukrainian presidency has said. Mykhaylo Podolyak said attempts by the West to urge Ukraine to negotiate with Moscow were “bizarre” given a series of major military victories by Kyiv. He added it would mean that a country “that recovers its territories must capitulate to the country that is losing”.

Russian forces are constructing defensive positions partially staffed by poorly trained mobilised reservists around the Svatove sector in the Luhansk region in north-eastern Ukraine, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. With Russia’s south-western frontline now more readily defendable along the east bank of the Dnipro River, the Svatove sector is likely now a more vulnerable operational flank of the Russian force, the latest British intelligence report reads.

France has sent another two air defence systems to Ukraine, along with two multiple rocket launchers, according to an interview given by a French defence minister.