The artillery barrage began at dawn - and fierce fighting around the strategic Black Sea city of Mykolaiv has been continuing throughout the day.

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The region's administrator claimed their forces had managed to drive out the Russians once again, declaring that they were "retreating and running away".

The city, home to around half a million people, has become a key target in the embattled Ukrainian south.

The Russians are now in control of Kherson and are pushing west, where there is a battle raging for control of Mykolaiv, with Odesa in their sights.

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