The Latest Breaking News from Bakhmut

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky compared Bakhmut's "total destruction" after months of continuous battles and shelling to the Japanese city of Hiroshima after the nuclear strike of 1945. This comes following conflicting reports on the status of Bakhmut, as Russia claimed having taken the city while Ukraine denied it had fallen.…

Moscow (AFP) - Russia said Saturday it has captured the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, epicentre of the fighting, as President Vladimir Putin congratulated his troops and private mercenary group Wagner.

Russian troops have taken control of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the Russian defence ministry said on Saturday, which if true would mark an end to a ferocious and bloody battle that raged for months.

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin says his Wagner fighters have completed the capture of Bakhmut but Ukraine has rejected the claim.

Ukraine denies Wagner claim that city has fallen and says fighting ongoing in some parts

Moscow (AFP) - Russia's private army Wagner claimed Saturday the total control of the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the epicentre of fighting, as Kyiv said the battle was continuing, while admitting the situation was "critical".

Ukraine rejects claim, says heavy fighting continues in the city and describes the situation there as ‘critical’.

Kyiv rejects Yevgeny Prigozhin’s claim to have captured Bakhmut and says fighting continues

The battle for the small city of Bakhmut in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region has become the longest and bloodiest of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia claimed on Saturday to have fully captured the smashed eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which would mark an end to the longest and bloodiest battle of the 15-month war.

The head of the Russian private army Wagner claims his forces have taken control of the city of Bakhmut after the longest and most grinding battle of the Russia-Ukraine war, but Ukrainian defense officials have denied it