The U.S. is rushing more arms to Ukraine as the country tries to fend off a renewed Russian assault on its eastern and southern regions.
Meanwhile, a senior U.S. Defense official said Ukrainian troops are pushing Russians back from the strategically important city of Kharkiv, which has been under assault since late February.
Despite its efforts, Moscow has made minimal gains in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, according to the Pentagon official.
In the south, evacuations continued from the besieged coastal city of Mariupol. Civilians left the blockaded Azovstal steel plant, the pummeled city's last stronghold, for the second straight day.
Explosions were reported in the Russian border city of Belgorod, which is home to Russian fuel depots and ammunition facilities used for its war operations in Ukraine. The country also said it destroyed two Russian ships off the coast of Odesa.