Ukraine's deputy prime minister has called on people in the southern region of Kherson to evacuate as the government expects fighting against Russian forces there to drag on.

Iryna Vereshchuk made the appeal on Sunday, saying a hard winter is coming. She said the government needs to save the residents from the cold and the Russian invaders.

Ukrainian forces are seeking to recapture Russian-controlled areas. They are using weapons supplied by Western nations, such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS.

The Ukrainian military said on Sunday that it had destroyed two Russian ammunition depots in Kherson. It added that it also attacked a key bridge in the region to sever supplies to Russian forces.

The Russian defense ministry said on the same day that its forces attacked Ukrainian military targets in Kherson, killing 35 people.

The UK defense ministry said in its Sunday report that "Over the past week, Russia's priority has likely been to re-orientate units to reinforce southern Ukraine."