Ukraine-Russia war – live: Two dead as Russian troops continue fierce shelling of Avdiivka

Vladimir Putin has branded Ukraine‘s counteroffensive a “failure”.

While Kyiv took back territory taken by Russia last year, the Ukrainian army has struggled to penetrate Russian lines which have been bolstered with minefields and thousands of extra troops.

“As for the counteroffensive, which is allegedly stalling, it has failed completely,” Mr Putin said in video remarks posted to social media by a Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin.

“The opposing side is preparing new active offensive operations. We see it and we know it,” he added when asked about the battle for the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka.

According to the Belfer Center at Harvard, Ukraine made a net gain of 8 square miles of territory the month to 10 October.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in 2014 after a pro-Russian president was toppled in Ukraine‘s Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed forces fighting Ukraine‘s armed forces.

The White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said on Sunday that a new weapons package for Israel and Ukraine would be significantly higher than $2bn.

In an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, said Sullivan said Joe Biden would have extensive talks with the US Congress this week on the need for the package to be approved.

Asked whether the request would be for $2 billion, Sullivan said: “Well, the number is going to be significantly higher than that, but it will, as I said, certainly include the necessary military equipment to defend freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine, and to help Israel defend itself as it fights its terrorist threat.”

British artillery guns provided to Ukraine aren’t being used on the battlefield due to a lack of ammunition, troops have claimed.

Ukrainian soldiers can only use L119 howitzers less than one a day because of the “catastrophic” shortage of ammunition used for them.

“The British L119 is a nice gun, very comfortable to work with and accurate to fire. But we don’t have enough shells for it – last week, we fired only five shells all week.

“It is catastrophically limited. When we are in battle, we are having to weigh up very carefully whether we should use a shell or not,” an artillery commander told The Telegraph.

President Zelensky’s international aid comes after the White House said North Korea has delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia.

Speculation about a possible North Korean plan to refill Russia’s munition stores drained in its protracted war with Ukraine flared last month, when Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin and visit key military sites.

On Friday White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. believes Kim is seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the munitions to boost North Korea’s nuclear program.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky says his country has been boosted with military aid from a number of countries this week.

In a video statement on Twitter, he said: “This week has strengthened Ukraine. I am grateful to all of our partners who have provided new military aid packages.

“Air defence, artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and other items. The world understands what Russia is planning and what terrorist attacks it is capable of carrying out.

“We also know how to respond to the occupier’s actions. And we will respond forcefully. In an era when terror is spreading over the world, it is vital that the world sends a message that is crystal clear: protection from terror will not falter anywhere.

Madonna has shown support for Ukraine on the opening night of her Celebration Tour in London on Saturday night.

The singer draped a Ukraine flag over her back before launching into Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.

Weeks after a health scare, the 65 year-old performed at the O2, treating thousands of adoring fans to more than 40 songs from her four-decade career, a host of extravagant outfits and a variety of theatrical stage set-ups.

Russia is building a new railway line to Mariupol to reduce travel times to the Zaporizhzhia front, the Ministry of Defence has said.

In its daily update on the war in Ukraine, the MoD said: “Rail logistics continue to be a vital component in sustaining Russia’s invasion.

“Russia uses its rail networks to move ammunition, armour, fuel and personnel into Ukraine.”

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Russian forces are conducting an ‘active defence’ and have been able to improve their positions at almost entire line of contact in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

“What is happening now along the entire length of the [line of] contact is called ‘an active defence’,” Putin said in video remarks posted to social media by a Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin.

“And our troops are improving their position at almost entire area. Quite a large area.”

Two civilians were killed in Russian attacks on the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka on Saturday, according to the Donetsk region administration.

In one of its few offensives in months, Russia’s military pressed on for a fifth day with assaults on Avdiivka, with shelling so fierce that emergency crews were unable to recover the dead from wrecked buildings.

The administration of the Donetsk region said on Sunday on the Telegram messaging app that one more person was injured elsewhere in the region.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on Sunday its forces had repelled 15 Russian attacks near Avdiivka, Tonenke and Pervomaiske in the Donetsk region, while Russian forces launched heavy air strikes in the area.

Oleh Sinehubov, governor of the Kharkiv region also in Ukraine’s east, said on Sunday a 54-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man were killed and one woman injured in an overnight Russian air attack.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Russian president Vladimir Putin is set to meet Xi Jinping in China this week, marking only his second visit outside former USSR since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The Russian president will be attending the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on 17, 18 October.

This would also be Mr Putin’s first trip outside of former USSR since Hague-based International Criminal Court issued a warrant for him in March over the deportation of children from Ukraine.