Russia launches heaviest offensive yet on Donbas, warns Ukraine military chief

Ukraine’s military chief has warned that Russia has launched its heaviest offensive yet in the embattled Donbas region – with forces advancing on the last cities still in the hands of the Ukrainian army.

One city – Severodonetsk – is now surrounded on three sides and is under intense bombardment – with as many as 15,000 civilians thought to be hiding in shelters.