Moscow says Russian troops gain more ground along frontlines in Ukraine

Russia says its troops have managed to gain fresh ground along the frontlines in Ukraine as the war nears its first anniversary.

In a statement on Monday, Russia's Defense Ministry said Russian forces pushed forward two kilometers west, without specifying the exact location.

"The Russian servicemen broke the enemy's resistance and advanced several kilometers deeper into its echeloned defense," it said, as much of the intense fighting is taking place around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which is still in Ukrainian hands amid a months-long battle.

The salt mining town in the eastern region of Donetsk, partially occupied by Russia, is Moscow's prime objective and its capture would give Russia a fresh foothold in the region as, according to Ukrainian military, heavy Russian shelling targeted 16 settlements in the vicinity of Bakhmut with tanks, mortars, and artillery the previous day

The battle to seize the heavily-fortified town has been spearheaded by mercenaries of the Wagner group, which has made small but steady gains. Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner Group, said a day earlier that his forces had seized the village of Krasna Hora, on the northern edge of Bakhmut.

Kiev said its forces had repelled Russian attacks in a number of areas, with its army saying on Saturday that Ukrainian troops held their defense along the frontline in Donetsk and in some areas have even managed to regain previously lost positions.

Russia claims capture of town near Ukraine's strategic city of Bakhmut

Russian military forces have reportedly taken control of a settlement south of of the strategic city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

Separately on Monday, the presidency of Ukraine said in its daily report the situation was “difficult” in a village just north of Bakhmut.

“The situation is difficult near Soledar: the village of Paraskoviivka is under intense shelling and assaults,” it warned.

“Russians continue to constantly shell the nearby settlements there,” the presidency said, while Kiev reported a “tense” situation near Vugledar, another town in Donetsk.

Russia launched what it calls "a special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, over the perceived threat of the ex-Soviet republic joining NATO. Since then, the United States and Ukraine's other allies have sent Kiev tens of billions of dollars' worth of weapons, including rocket systems, drones, armored vehicles, tanks, and communication systems.

Western countries have also imposed a slew of economic sanctions on Moscow. The Kremlin has said the sanctions and the Western military assistance will only prolong the war.

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