Zelenskiy admits Ukrainian counter-offensive going ‘slower than desired’

Intensity of assaults on Russian forces appears to have abated as Putin says nuclear-capable ICBMs will be entering service

• Ukraine-Russia war: latest updates

Volodymyr Zelenskiy has conceded that Ukraine’s counter-offensive may be going “slower than desired” but has insisted that he will not needlessly risk soldiers’ lives to meet international expectations.

The comments from Ukraine’s president came as Vladimir Putin suggested that there appeared to have been a break in the intensity of Kyiv’s long-anticipated counter offensive.