Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Wednesday said Kyiv faced "extremely difficult weeks" ahead, warning of major "destruction" in a developing Russian offensive in the east of the country.

"Some extremely difficult weeks lie ahead," Reznikov said in a statement on Facebook.

"Russia has already gathered forces for a large-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine," he added, saying Moscow "will try to inflict as much pain as possible" and warned of "destruction and painful casualties".

"In the coming days we will need all our resilience and extraordinary unity," Reznikov told Ukrainians.

He added that the coming events would "determine the future of our state."

Russia has pressed on with its invasion of Ukraine, re-focusing on the east and south of the country as the war enters its third month.

Kyiv conceded that Russian forces had made gains in the east, with Moscow's forces capturing a string of villages in the Donbas region.

Ukraine says struck Russian forces on Snake Island
Kyiv, Ukraine (AFP) April 27, 2022 –

Kyiv has said its troops struck Russian positions on the Black Sea's Snake Island, which gained notoriety when Ukrainian soldiers deployed there rebuffed demands to surrender from Moscow's invading forces.

"Our forces carried out strikes on enemy positions on Snake Island," the Ukrainian military said in a statement on social media late Tuesday, claiming to have hit a checkpoint and an anti-aircraft system.

"The Russians' losses are being clarified," it said.

Russia has not confirmed the attack on Snake Island which Moscow captured shortly after launching its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

This small island became a symbol of Ukraine's resistance to the Russian invasion after a radio exchange went viral in which Ukrainian soldiers told the crew of Russia's attacking warship demanding their surrender, to "go fuck yourself".

The Ukrainian soldiers were taken prisoner but later exchanged for Russian captives.

The recording of this verbal exchange has gone around the world and served as a leitmotif for the Ukrainian resistance, even appearing on placards during support rallies abroad and on stamps.

The Russian ship involved, the Moskva, sank in the Black Sea in mid-April following what Moscow said was an explosion on board.

Ukraine said it had hit the warship with missiles