Russia's defence ministry says its forces still advancing in Bakhmut - agencies

Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday that its forces had continued to advance in the western part of Bakhmut and that paratroops were providing support around the Ukrainian city's flanks, Russian news agencies reported.

The head of the Wagner private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, earlier said one unit of Russia's army had abandoned its supporting position and that Ukrainian forces had made gains towards the city as part of a long-awaited counteroffensive by Kyiv.