President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Russia’s occupied Kursk region on Wednesday, as the Kremlin considers a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with his troops closing in on Ukraine’s only territorial bargaining chip.

Kyiv has called on Moscow to respond to the proposed ceasefire - the Kremlin says it is waiting to be briefed by the US.

Putin's visit seemed intended to boost morale as Russian forces advanced on the last remaining Ukrainian positions inside Russia. This comes after peace talks between US and Ukrainian officials, in which Kyiv agreed to a 30-day,