The advance towards the city of Sumy - the administrative center of the Sumy region - comes as Kyiv showed its ability to continue fighting by conducting a series of strikes in recent days, hitting Russian strategic bombers and the Crimean Bridge.

Russian forces are advancing in the northern Ukrainian region of Sumy, bringing the regional capital within range of their drones and artillery, according to Ukrainian officials and analysts.

A Russian artillery attack on Ukraine's northeastern city of Sumy on Tuesday killed four people and injured 28, including three children, officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced the updated death toll of four in the city in his nightly video address.