EU to sanction Russia again ’in days’ - Austria

The European Union will launch its sixth set of sanctions against Russia in a matter of days, according to Austria's foreign minister.

Alexander Schallenberg said he was "confident" that the bloc's latest show of unity with Ukraine would be ready to go following the necessary "discussions". The move is necessary, he added, because "Russia is watching us", reports BBC.

Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's foreign minister, seemed less certain on timings, saying EU officials needed more time to reach an agreement that worked for everyone. But admitted: "There really is no excuse not to get the package done."

The EU, UK and US have already imposed a raft of economic and diplomatic sanctions on Moscow.

Ukraine troops reach Russian border near Kharkiv

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops have reportedly reached the border with Russia after counter-attacking near the city of Kharkiv - Ukraine's second largest city and home to 1.4 million people.

Russia's inability to take over Kharkiv should be regarded as a defeat for the country, according to General Sir Richard Barrons, former commander of UK Joint Forces Command.

"It was just way too big an objective for the Russian military," Barrons told Radio 4's Today Programme, adding that Russia "doesn’t have the numbers, the will or the skill to take large cities".

"When [the Russians] got stuck round outskirts, it became an easier target for a very aggressive and successful Ukrainian counter-attack, and trying to sit around Kharkiv became much less important than the fight under way in the Donbas," he said.

Barrons said Russia's failure around Kharkiv doesn't amount to a failure of the Russian invasion on its own terms, adding that its focus is now advancing in the east of the country.