Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says his forces are advancing "step by step" into the occupied southern region of Kherson.
Kherson city fell to Russia early in the war and sits on a strategic location west of the Dnipro river.
On Saturday, UK defence officials reported heavy fighting near Kherson.
The Ukrainian advance meant that Russian supply lines west of the river were "increasingly at risk", according to their assessment.
Earlier this month, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minster Iryna Vereshchuk urged Kherson residents to evacuate the city as soon as possible to avoid becoming trapped in the city during a counteroffensive in southern Ukraine.
"It is necessary to do so for the Armed Forces of Ukraine not to endanger the civilian population during offensive operations," she told state TV.
Serhiy Khlan, an adviser to Kherson's government, told Ukrainian television the region would "definitely be liberated by September", AFP report.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62283196