Ukraine's counteroffensive is gathering momentum in the Russian-controlled southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Britain's defense ministry said on Thursday.
"Ukrainian forces have highly likely established a bridgehead south of the lngulets River, which forms the northern boundary of Russian-occupied Kherson," it said in a regular intelligence bulletin on Twitter.
Russia's 49th Army, stationed on the west bank of the Dnipro River, now looks highly vulnerable, British military intelligence said, adding that Kherson was virtually cut off from the other territories occupied by Russia.
Four civilians killed in Ukraine shelling
Russian-backed separatists in east Ukraine's Donetsk said on Thursday that four civilians had been killed by Ukrainian shelling over the previous day.
According to a message posted on an official separatist Telegram channel, four people were killed and another 11 wounded between 08:00 local time on Wednesday and 08:00 on Thursday.
Reuters could not verify battlefield reports.
Donetsk city has been controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. Ukrainian forces continue to hold positions on the city's outskirts.
Separatist authorities have accused Ukraine of shelling Donetsk city on multiple occasions, including at a bus stop earlier this month.