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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has started a major offensive in the country's East.
Russia declared the capture of the Donbas region its main goal of the war, after its attempt to storm Kyiv failed.
It's Ukraine's mostly Russian-speaking region in the east, where Moscow-supported separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for the past eight years and have declared two independent republics that have been recognised by Russia.
Mr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian forces won't give up the fight.
"Ukrainian then translation: "Now we can already state that Russian troops begun the battle for the Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time. A significant part of the entire Russian army is now concentrated on this offensive. No matter how many Russian troops are driven there, we will fight. We will defend ourselves and we will do it every day. We won't give up anything Ukrainian. And we don't need anything foreign."
The United States has confirmed it will increase Ukrainian support as Russian forces launch their offensive to take control of the country's east.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed that the U-S has been transporting weapons from the $800 million security package into the region.
He says it's clear that Ukraine will be in need of increased military aid given Russia's reinforcement.
"I mean, we have seen the Russians continue to flow in enablers, capabilities that will help them fight in the Donbas going forward. That's artillery, rotary aviation helicopter support, command and control enablers. And we do believe that they have reinforced the number of battalion tactical groups in the east and the south of Ukraine."
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced the establishment of the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation, in response to the flood disasters earlier this year.
The program aims to rebuild the Northern Rivers back in a stronger way to protect the community going forward.
The Premier says the Corporation is expected to be in place for three to five years or however long it takes to get people back on their feet.
"We know that getting people back on their feet, getting people back into homes, rebuilding towns and communities takes time. And this cooperation will ensure we build back stronger, better, and in a way that protects people well into the future."
Eileen Cikamatana could become the first woman to win Commonwelath Games gold for two different countries, as she headlines Australia's weightlifting team in England later this year.
Cikamatana claimed gold for Fiji in the 90 kilogram class on the Gold Coast as an 18-year-old, then switched to competing for Australia, becoming a citizen in 2019.
The 22-year-old will feature in the 87 kilogram classification at the Commonwealth Games.
