Russian forces closing in on centre of Bakhmut, British intelligence says

MoD suggests Moscow has gained crucial advantage in one of the conflict's bloodiest battles

Ukraine said its forces were holding out in Bakhmut, despite Russia's numerical superiority. AFP

Russian forces are “highly likely” to have advanced into the centre of Bakhmut, British military intelligence says, as Moscow regains momentum in its push for the ruined Ukrainian mining city.

The Russian progress means a key Ukrainian supply route to the west of the town is probably “severely threatened”.

In its daily intelligence update, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: “In recent days, Russian forces have regained some momentum in the battle for Bakhmut. Since late March their advance had largely stalled.

“Russia has made further gains and has now highly likely advanced into the town centre, and has seized the west bank of the Bakhmutka river. Ukraine’s key 0506 supply route to the west of the town is likely severely threatened.

“Russian regular forces, likely including airborne troops, have probably reinforced the area and Russia is again using artillery more effectively in the sector.”

The MoD said there was a “realistic possibility” that Wagner and Russian commanders had paused their feud and improved co-operation.

Ukraine on Friday said the situation in Bakhmut was "difficult" but its forces were holding out despite Russia's numerical superiority.

The months-long battle for Bakhmut, one of the last urban centres in the eastern Donetsk province yet to fall to Russian forces, has proven one of the bloodiest of the war.

Battles were "under way in the streets, enemy attempts to encircle the city are failing," said Andriy Yermak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"Our command fully control the situation."

Eastern military command spokesman Serhiy Cherevatyi told Reuters that Ukraine was in control of the situation in Bakhmut, understood Russian intentions and that Moscow had had tactical success in some places, but was paying a high price for it.

The leader of Russia's private Wagner militia, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said fighting was raging in the west of the city.

"It must be said clearly that the enemy is not going anywhere," he said on his Telegram channel.

Dogged defence

Mr Prigozhin has often complained of a lack of ammunition for his fighters in Bakhmut.

But Ukrainian border guard Levko Stek, speaking in a video clip with explosions heard in the background, said Ukrainian forces did not sense any "ammunition hunger" on the Russian side.

Western analysts have played down the strategic significance of Bakhmut but Ukraine has framed its dogged defence of the city as a way of wearing down Russian forces ahead of a counteroffensive bolstered by advanced western-supplied weapons.

"We are ready, we have to do it, the sooner the better," Naza, a 21-year-old unit commander told Reuters outside Bakhmut. "The enemy must be chased away. At the moment we are waiting for the weather to change, the mud is an obstacle.

Speaking near the front line, the commander of Ukraine's 5th separate assault brigade, who gave his name as Ivan, said: "Those service members that are not on the front line are training."

Ukrainian military expert Oleksander Musienko said Russian forces were "exhausted and cannot maintain the same pace of attacks" that they launched in February.

"It's clear now that the Russian army's ability to attack is stalled. And for all their bravado about taking over Bakhmut, it is just not true.

"The Russian forces are preparing to organise defensive positions. The idea is to bring the war into a positional phase, essentially a stalemate."

Four civilians were killed on Thursday in the Russia-controlled Donetsk region when shells hit a car park, Russia's Tass news agency reported. Three people died in blasts at a bus stop in Lysychansk, north-east of Donetsk, RIA news agency reported.

Agency reporters on the ground were unable to independently verify those reports.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is investigating a leak of classified war documents detailing US and Nato plans for building up the Ukrainian military ahead of a planned offensive against Russia. They were posted this week on social media channels, The New York Times reported.

Separately, the US is opposing efforts by some European nations to offer Ukraine a clear “road map” to Nato membership at the alliance’s July summit in Lithuania, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.