You can actually see from from what's been released from the Russian side that they have made progress." Ukraine has begun testing Russian defences and morale around Kherson and are seeing some success, says Times correspondent Richard Spencer.

“They will try and strangle the city until the Russian defenders are much weaker.” Ukrainian forces are trying to ‘weaken’ Russian troops before launching a counterattack on Kherson, General Sir Richard Barrons tells #TimesRadio

“They started a massive attack and have taken some of the territory back. There’s three lines of defences" around Kherson, "but Ukrainians say they have breached that first line of defence.”

The Ukrainians are getting ready to mount this counteroffensive and it'll come and it'll be very bloody, very tough when it does." Lord Dannatt says Ukrainian soldiers being trained in the UK will play a key role in the showdown with Putin's forces in Khe...