ODESA, Ukraine (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday Russia was determined to sow chaos in and destroy the south of his country as well as nearby Moldova and Romania, and called for increased pressure on Moscow to prevent further military threats.

It is designed to make the West think a Kremlin victory is inevitable.

The United States supports Russians' aspirations for a brighter future, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on the occasion of Russia Day, reaffirming a desire for constructive engagement in efforts to bring about peace in the war with Ukraine.

Russian forces have advanced into Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions, in fresh bid for Ukrainian land beyond what Moscow's already annexed.

Ukraine's president says a new prisoner exchange with Russia is ongoing and will take days, as both sides continue launching hundreds of attack drones.

A new prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia has begun, officials in both countries said Monday, with Ukrainian soldiers who have spent nearly the entire duration of the war in captivity among those returning home.

The Russian military has launched waves of drones and missiles in recent days, with a record bombardment of almost 500 drones on Monday and a wave of 315 drones and seven missiles overnight on Tuesday.

Kyiv says it has struck an electronics factory near Moscow in an overnight attack, while Russian strikes killed six people and injured 64 others in a barrage of attacks across Ukraine.The Ukrainian military said it had recorded explosions at the factory,