In a video message to all Ukrainians, Head of State Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on his compatriots to resist and persevere.

With a view to the current negotiations with the Russian side, he hinted that any agreement with the opponent would have to be submitted to the Ukrainian people for a referendum.

Meanwhile, in the US, President Joe Biden warned of Russian cyber attacks in the US and the use of biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine.

Selenskyj wants to vote on agreements with Moscow

Selenskyj wants to have all agreements reached in negotiations with Russia decided by referendum nationwide.

The head of state announced this on Monday evening on television.

The final form of compromises with Russia on security guarantees and on the occupied areas of Ukraine must be approved in a referendum.

Both warring parties are currently negotiating with each other.

However, there are no concrete agreements yet.

The negotiations with Moscow are initially about a neutral status for Ukraine and international security guarantees for the country.

"To find a way out, you have to take a first step," said Zelenskyy.

"And when we've managed to do that, we can talk." He would then be ready to talk about the occupied territories at a meeting with his adversary, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.

This means Crimea and the breakaway, self-proclaimed People's Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Among other things, Moscow is demanding that Crimea be recognized as Russian territory.

He doesn't expect to resolve all issues in talks with Putin.

"But there is a chance to solve part of it, to end the war," said Zelenskyy.

At the same time, he warned Putin against continuing the war: "By destroying us, Putin is destroying himself."

Russian newspaper mentions high number of victims in Ukraine

The Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, which is close to the Kremlin, published high numbers of Russians allegedly killed in Ukraine - and later deleted them again.

An online article Sunday, citing the Defense Ministry, said 9,861 Russian soldiers had died since the war began, according to an archived version of the text.

That would be significantly more than the 498 dead that Moscow has officially confirmed so far.

A few hours later, however, the relevant passage from the article in Komsomolskaya Pravda disappeared again.

Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podoliak commented on Twitter that "the Russian art of lying" is no longer helping.

"A disaster for Russia's propaganda, but in the real world there are almost twice as many dead Russians." According to the Ukrainian account, almost 15,000 Russian soldiers have already been killed since the beginning of the war.