Ukraine war live updates: Russians driven back; Elon Musk plan blasted - USA TODAY

Ukraine reclaimed several more villages Tuesday, and the bodies of Russian soldiers were seen lying in the streets of a crucial city liberated days ago as a Ukrainian counteroffensive drives Russian forces into retreat.

More than 450 settlements in the Kharkiv region have been liberated in the past month, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

That includes encounters with some of Russia's premier fighters, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, which said that "even the most elite Russian military forces are becoming increasingly degraded as the war continues.''.

On Tuesday, an Associated Press team reporting from the town saw at least 18 bodies of Russian soldiers still on the ground.

AP said the Ukrainian military appeared to have collected the bodies of their comrades but had not immediately removed those of the Russians.

Under Musk's proposal, Crimea would formally become part of Russia and Ukraine must remain neutral, suggesting that efforts to join NATO would be shelved.

Zelenskyy countered with his own poll, asking Twitter users whether they preferred Musk supporting Russia or Ukraine.

announced the latest military aid to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.

The U.N.'s Human Rights Council said Tuesday it has documented more than 6,100 cases of Ukrainian civilians being killed in the war, while acknowledging, "The real  figures are likely considerably higher.".

investigators are also reporting numerous instances of Russian troops torturing Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, confirming the council's Sept.

There have also been documented instances of Ukrainian troops torturing Russian POWs, but “on a lesser scale,” said Christian Salazar Volkmann, director of U.N.