According to the Ukrainian presidential administration, fierce combat occurred outside Bakhmut as Russian forces advanced on the eastern city with heavy artillery and infantry assaults. In the previous 24 hours, at least five people have been killed and an equal number have been injured in clashes around the war-torn nation.
The situation in Bakhmut's northern neighbourhood of Paraskoviivka is "tough," according to the presidential office, as Russian soldiers continue to bombard the region with "heavy shelling and assault activities." The adjoining town of Vuhledar is also being bombarded.
"For me, this merely emphasises the significance of timing. "It is critical that more weaponry be sent to Ukraine," he told reporters in Brussels. Stoltenberg stated that NATO sees "no indication whatsoever that President Putin is prepared for peace" and that arming Ukraine sooner might save lives by putting the war to a close sooner.
In the previous 24 hours, Russian forces blasted a dozen cities and villages in the Donetsk area, including Druzhkivka, where a missile struck a hospital, and Pokrovsk, where shelling destroyed seven buildings and a daycare.
"The bombardment escalates, and the Russians gather additional forces for an attack on calm communities," Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko stated. "We're witnessing a really severe combat in which the Russians aren't sparing either themselves or us."
In the adjoining Luhansk area, Russian soldiers withdrew after three days of hard battle near the strategic city of Kreminna, however they are not "running out of steam," according to Luhansk Gov. Serhii Haidai on Ukrainian television.
Over the last 24 hours, artillery bombardment hit more than 20 cities and villages in the partially controlled southern province of Kherson, including the regional capital of the same name, which was regained by Ukrainian forces in November. Two guys were murdered in one of the villages when their automobile hit a landmine.