Ukrainian soldiers have found ancient ceramic amphoras dating back to the 5th century AD while digging trenches to fight the Russian troops.

The 126th separate brigade of the Odessa Defence Forces found the ancient artefacts while digging defences around the port city of Odessa on the Black Sea Coast in southern Ukraine.

Servicemen found the amphoras – which date back to the 4th or 5th centuries AD – while carrying out fortification works in the war-torn region.

The amphoras were shown to the brigade’s commander who decided they needed to be preserved for future generations to see.

According to the brigade, the artefacts were handed over to experts at the Odessa Archaeological Museum, one of the oldest in the country, to be added to their collection.

The 126th separate brigade of the Odessa Defence Forces said: “In one of the brigade’s structural units, during fortification work, soldiers found ancient amphoras dating back to about 4-5 centuries AD.

“By the decision of the commander of 126 obr tro, ancient artefacts were handed over to the staff of the Odessa Archaeological Museum of the UN of Ukraine, who promised to add them to the large collection of the museum.”

Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 82nd day of the campaign.

Last week, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Russian President Vladimir Putin is “humiliating himself on the world stage”.

She called for tougher sanctions on Russia and said they should not be relaxed until the last Russian troop departs Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia is expected to up its bombardment of the Azovstal steelworks now that all civilians have been evacuated from there, say the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The plant is the last area of the strategic port city of Mariupol not under Russian control.