Russia is struggling to contain wildfires that rage across the country and have killed at least 50 people.

Almost 600 fires were still raging across Russia's central and western regions, the Emergencies Ministry said on Thursday morning.

More than 160,000 emergency workers have been deployed to douse the flames.

Nizhny Novgorod and Voronezh are among the worst-hit regions as weeks of wildfires have destroyed whole villages.

Thousands of people have lost their homes and about a fifth of Russia's grain crop has been destroyed.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has promised new homes and compensation to the victims of the disaster.