Ukraine live news: Russia bombards Severodonetsk from all sides

As Ukrainian defenders dig in to save Severodonetsk, the Luhansk governor accuses Russia of trying to destroy the city using a ‘scorched-earth’ approach

The governor of Luhansk says Russia is trying to destroy Severodonetsk as its forces bombard the city from all sides, Qazet.az reports.

Ukraine’s military says the Admiral Makarov, the new flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, is heading for Odesa to replace the sunken Moskva.

The UK’s defence ministry says Russia has lost as many men in three months of war in Ukraine as the Soviet Union did in nine years of war in Afghanistan.

Ukraine rules out a ceasefire or any territorial concessions to Moscow as Russia steps up its attack in the country’s east and south.

Kyiv extends the period of martial law and general mobilisation in the country for 90 more days, until August 23.