Russian advances have ground to a halt in many areas, with Ukrainian forces holding out in several cities and also launching effective counterattacks.

Here are the latest developments on day 24 of the invasion:

Russia launched its attack in the early hours of 24 February, but more than three weeks into the war its forces have failed to build on initial gains they made across the country.

“The Russians are making almost every tactical mistake it is possible to make,” according to Prof Michael Clarke, former director of the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think tank.

The ferocity of the Ukrainian resistance has meant Russian forces have been forced to change their approach, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).

They are now pursuing a “strategy of attrition” which could result in increased civilian casualties and greater destruction of cities in the coming days, assessed the MoD.

Russian forces have been attempting to encircle and cut off the capital, but large areas around Kyiv remain under Ukrainian control, especially in the south.

Ukrainian generals in Kyiv have said their focus at the moment is on keeping Russian artillery out of range of the city centre.

Russian troops advancing on the capital have faced strong Ukrainian resistance and also had serious logistical problems, with many vehicles running out of fuel.

The closest Russian troops to the north west of Kyiv are in the suburbs of Bucha and Irpin, about 25km (15 miles) from the city centre, but they have failed to cross the Irpin River so far.

That river and others across the city, as well as difficult terrain like marshlands and bogs, have helped Ukrainian forces slow Russian advances so far.

A Russian advance from the east has stalled around the suburb of Brovary, about 20km (12 miles) away from the centre of Kyiv.

Justin Bronk, a defence analyst at Rusi, told the BBC earlier this week that he doubts Russia has enough ground forces in place to take Kyiv at the moment.

BBC