KYIV, Ukraine, Aug 9, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Ukraine said Friday it would evacuate families with children from 19 more villages in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces have been advancing.

The villages, home to hundreds of people, are all within about 30 kilometres (19 miles) of the front line.

"A total of approximately 109 children are currently in these settlements," Donetsk region governor Vadym Filashkin said in a post on Telegram.

"I emphasise once again: staying in the Donetsk region is extremely dangerous. Evacuate while you still can," he added.

The Russian army has been gaining ground in east Ukraine for over a year and in July accelerated its advances for a fourth straight month.

Except for the early months of Russia's invasion, which it launched in February 2022, only November of last year saw greater Russian advances than those of last month, according to an AFP analysis of data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War.

US President Donald Trump, who has been pressing for an end to the nearly three-and-a-half year war, is expected to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin for a summit as early as next week, according to the Kremlin.