Russians claim control over Bakhmut's east

Ukraine urges EU to agree to resupply of artillery shells for counter-offensive

The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group said on Wednesday his forces had taken full control of the eastern part of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut as one of the bloodiest battles of the yearlong war ground on amid the ruins.

If the claim is true, it would mean Russian forces control nearly half the city in their costly push to secure their first big victory in several months.

Ukrainian defenders remained defiant, however. Last week they appeared to be preparing for a tactical retreat from Bakhmut, but military and political leaders are now speaking of hanging on to positions and inflicting as many casualties as possible on the Russian assault force. In Stockholm, Ukraine's defence minister said Kyiv urgently needed huge supplies of artillery shells to mount a general counter-offensive against Russia's invasion army, urging EU members to support an Estonian plan for joint procurement of munitions. “We need to move forward as soon as possible,” Oleksii Reznikov told reporters before an EU defence ministers' meeting.

The General Staff of the Ukraine's Armed Forces said in its Wednesday morning report: "The enemy, despite significant losses, ... continues to storm the town of Bakhmut."Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin said his fighters, who have been spearheading the Russian campaign to seize Bakhmut, had now captured the city's east.