KYIV, Ukraine 

Ukraine claimed that Russia has increased its naval presence in the Sea of ​​Azov, local media reported on Friday.

A small minesweeper, a missile boat, and two landing vessels were recorded passing through the Kerch Strait connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, reported state news agency Ukrinform, citing Ukrainian General Staff.

Russia "failed to achieve the main goals of a large-scale war -- besieging Kyiv and advancing to the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions," added the report.

It said the Russian forces "succeeded in creating a land corridor between the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and part of the Donetsk region."

Russia began its war on Feb. 24. It has been met with international outrage, with the EU, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,081 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 1,707 injured, according to UN estimates, while cautioning that the true figure is likely far higher.

More than 3.7 million Ukrainians have also fled to neighboring countries, with over 6.5 million more displaced inside the country, according to the UN refugee agency.

Crimea was invaded by Russia in 2014, while a conflict with Russian-backed separatists in Donbas has taken some 13,000 lives since that time, according to UN figures. On the eve of launching the war, Russia recognized two separatist enclaves in Donbas as "independent."