British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday said he had agreed new deals with Sweden and Finland to bolster European security, pledging to support both countries' armed forces should they come under attack.

The prime minister is on a 24-hour trip where he will be meeting with the leaders of Sweden and Finland to discuss the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

"We are steadfast and unequivocal in our support to both Sweden and Finland and the signing of these security declarations is a symbol of the everlasting assurance between our nations," the prime minister said in a statement issued before he speaks.

It said the PM would "set out the UK's intention to support the two nations' armed forces should either face crisis or come under attack".

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced a rethink of how Sweden - and neighbour Finland - safeguard national security.

Both are expected to join NATO, but both are worried they would be vulnerable while their applications are processed, which could take up to a year.

Sweden has also received assurances of support from the U.S. and Germany.

On the warfront, local authorities in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk told residents to go out as little as possible and to keep their windows shut on Wednesday because Russian shelling had damaged a warehouse storing ammonium nitrate nearby.

Meanwhile, pro-Russian authorities in Kherson, in southern Ukraine, will ask President Putin for the region to become part of Russia, TASS news agency reports

President Zelensky said a counteroffensive has pushed out Russian forces north of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, recapturing surrounding villages

Ukraine's gas operator GTSOU said on Tuesday it would suspend flows through the Sokhranivka transit point, which it said delivered almost a third of fuel piped from Russia to Europe via Ukraine.
-Reuters/AP/BBC