Ukrainian troops are advancing in two directions in the eastern city of Bakhmut but the situation in the city centre is more complicated, deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar said on Saturday.
Ukrainian and Russian officials both say pro-Kyiv forces have started to push back in and around Bakhmut after blunting a months-long offensive by troops loyal to Moscow that left much of the city in ruins.
Russia acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Bakhmut ahead of a long-promised counter offensive by Ukraine to retake more territory it lost after the start of the war last year.
