Battle in Ukraine's east rages, Zelenskyy vows to retake territory

Ukrainian forces struggled to hold their ground in bloody street-to-street fighting in the eastern frontline city of Sievierodonetsk as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the situation was difficult, also pledging to retake Russia's gains.

The days-long battle for the industrial city has emerged as pivotal, with Russia focusing its offensive might in the hope of achieving one of its stated aims - to fully capture surrounding Luhansk province on behalf of Russian-speaking separatists.

"We have to achieve a full deoccupation of our entire territory," Zelenskiy said by video link at an event hosted by Britain's Financial Times newspaper on Tuesday.

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