KYIV: According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the conflict in eastern Ukraine "has gotten tougher" as Russian forces work to make the progress they can display on February 24, the first anniversary of their invasion.

Russia has gained momentum on the battlefield and announced advances north and south of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in Donetsk. Russia is determined to make progress before Ukraine receives newly pledged Western battle tanks and armoured vehicles.

Russian fire hit Bakhmut and ten nearby towns and villages, the Ukrainian military reported late on Wednesday. The Russian bombing of Bakhmut has been ongoing for months.

The nearby town of Maryinka, another important Russian target, as well as some nearby settlements, were also hit, the military added.

At least three people were killed and 20 were injured by a Russian missile that struck Kramatorsk, which is located about 55 kilometres (34 miles) northwest of Bakhmut.

"The offensive operations of the occupiers on the front in our country's east have clearly increased. The circumstance has worsened, "said Zelenskiy.

In an evening video address, he continued, "The enemy is trying to achieve at least something now to show that Russia has some chances on the anniversary of the invasion."

Prior to a meeting with more than a dozen top European Union officials in Kyiv on Friday, Zelenskiy promised additional anti-corruption measures, demonstrating his determination to demonstrate that Ukraine can be a trustworthy steward of billions of dollars in aid.

Ukraine views the gathering as crucial to its long-term hopes of joining the bloc. Earlier, in what the media reported to be a probe into suspected financial crime, security personnel searched the residence of businessman and former Zelenskiy ally Ihor Kolomoiskiy.

Kolomoiskiy couldn't be reached right away for comment. He has said he did nothing wrong.

Police reported that a Russian Iskander-K tactical missile struck in Kramatorsk at 9:45 p.m.

Eight apartment buildings, at least, suffered damage. A Russian missile struck an apartment building in Dnipro city in January, killing at least 44 people.

According to Ukraine, 57 people perished in April 2022 when a Russian missile struck the Kramatorsk train station. The missile was Ukrainian, according to Russia, which denies targeting civilians. Former Wagner mercenary group commander who fled to Norway in January told Reuters that he was speaking out to apologize for fighting in Ukraine and to hold those responsible for atrocities accountable.

According to Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov, on the last day, Ukrainian forces thwarted attacks on a number of Donetsk neighbourhoods, including Bakhmut, Krasna Hora, and Blahodatne. Just to the north of Bakhmut, Blahodatne was reportedly captured by Russian forces on Tuesday. According to Ukrainian military analyst Yevhen Dikiy, they were also pushing south of Bakhmut in an effort to cut it off from resupply and drive the Ukrainians out by using their superior troop numbers to do so.

"This for us is the most difficult scenario," Dikiy told Espreso TV, referring to what he called a "measure of success" for Russian forces. "The enemy is able to use its sole resource, which it has in excess, its men."

Both Russia and Ukraine are thought to be planning new offensives, and Oleksii Reznikov, the Ukrainian defence minister, suggested that a Russian push might start around the symbolically significant date of February 24.

"We keep emphasizing to our partners how urgently we need to prepare for this. We, therefore, require weapons "According to Reznikov, who was in Paris on Tuesday, BFM TV in France.

The West has pledged to give Ukraine new weapons that will give it new capabilities; the most recent is expected to include US rockets this week that will almost double the range of Ukrainian forces.

Longer-range rockets fired by the US would intensify the conflict, according to the Kremlin, but would not alter its trajectory.

In an effort to "demilitarize" and "denazify" Ukraine's neighbour, President Vladimir Putin sent troops there last year for a "special military operation," but he now portrays the operation as a struggle to defend Russia from an aggressive West.

Russia is charged with waging an illegal war to increase its territorial reach over Ukraine and the West.