(Reuters) - Britain's Defence Ministry said on Sunday that Russian forces advancing from Crimea are still attempting to circumvent Mykolaiv as they look to drive west towards Odesa, adding that these forces have made little progress over the past week.

       "The blockade of the Ukrainian coast is likely to exacerbate the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, preventing vital supplies reaching the Ukrainian population," the ministry said in a Twitter post.

       (Reporting by Vishal Vivek in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis)