The Latest Breaking News from Bakhmut

Vladimir Putin’s regime admitted it had to withdraw from key areas around the city in the Donetsk region, in the south east of Ukraine

Moscow says its troops have ‘regrouped’ to the city’s north – in what head of Wagner mercenaries has called a ‘rout’

Moscow statement is first admission that Ukraine is successfully recapturing ground around eastern city

Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Britain for its donations of long-range missiles

Ukrainian military commanders say their troops had recaptured more territory from Russian forces at the scene of the war’s longest and bloodiest battle, for the eastern city of Bakhmut, but it wasn’t clear if this marked the start of Kyiv’s long-expected counteroffensive

Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Ukraine's battlefield city of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian offensive, in a retreat that the head of Russia's Wagner private army called a rout. 

At critical point in war, Ukraine could press – or appear to press – in multiple locations to try to push Russians back

Russia's defence ministry said on Friday its forces repelled a surge of attempted Ukrainian attacks against positions in eastern Ukraine, but indicated that its troops had fallen back in one area for what it said were tactical reasons.

Russia’s defence ministry has denied reports that Ukrainian forces had broken through in Bakhmut; Turkey’s defence minister has said Black Sea grain initiative is approaching an extension

Ukrainian forces have advanced by about 2 km around the eastern city of Bakhmut this week and have not given up any positions there in that time, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Friday.

Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Ukraine's battleground city of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian offensive, in a retreat that the head of Russia's Wagner private army called a "rout". The rare acknowledgement came after Ukraine said its forces had made significant advances around…