Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russian forces have started a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region. 

Speaking from Kyiv, Zelenskyy said in an address that Ukraine will continue to fight and defend itself against a Russian attack, according to the Kyiv Independent.

"No matter how many soldiers are drawn there, we will defend ourselves. We will fight. We will not give up anything Ukrainian," Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine's Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov confirmed in a statement that Russian forces launched a new assault on the region. 

"This morning, an active phase of the Russian offensive set off almost along the entire front line, the occupiers tried to break through our defenses," Danilov tweeted on Monday. "Our military is defending, we are not surrendering our territories."

Ukrainian and Western officials had warned that a new Russian offensive in the Donbas region was imminent after Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces failed to capture the capital city Kyiv and withdrew from the country's northern areas.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

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