Ukraine war: Wagner Group making 'small advances' around Bakhmut
Wagner Group forces have made small advances in eastern Ukraine, but nothing to significantly advance Russian progress, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has said.
In the latest defence update on Twitter, the MOD said the mercenary group made "small gains" in the northern outskirts of Bakhmut, a town in the Donbas region.
"However, organised Ukrainian defence continues in the area," the intelligence update said.
"The tactical Russian advance to the south of the town has likely made little progress."
The MOD also said Russian forces continue to make offensive efforts in the in Kremina-Svatove sector of Luhansk Oblast – located in the north of Ukraine, but "each local attack remains on too small a scale to achieve a significant breakthrough".
"Russia likely aims to reverse some of the gains Ukrainian forces made over September-November 2022," the MOD said.
"There is a realistic possibility that their immediate goal is to advance west to the Zherberets River.
"Overall, the current operational picture suggests that Russian forces are being given orders to advance in most sectors, but that they have not massed sufficient offensive combat power on any one axis to achieve a decisive effect."
The latest MOD update comes as Nato allies are set to meet to discuss further military assistance to Ukraine.
Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Britain, meeting Ukrainian troops training at the UK's Lulworth Camp in Dorset with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The UK is sending Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, with personnel being trained on four to five tanks as well as simulators.
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