Ukrainian forces are facing tough battles in the eastern region of Donbas, as Russia is stepping up its offensive.

In a video released on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the situation in the region remains severe.

He said the Russian military is still trying to demonstrate some kind of victory on the 80th day of a full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy added that Ukraine's defenders will steadily bring about the same things that are happening in the eastern region of Kharkiv. He said earlier that Ukrainian forces had taken back settlements in the region.

The Russian defense ministry said on Saturday that its forces carried out missile attacks on 28 Ukrainian strongholds and two ammunition depots in the eastern region of Luhansk.

The ministry also said Russian troops shot down six Ukrainian drones in the eastern region of Kharkiv and near Snake Island off the coast of Odesa in the south.