Two British men missing in Ukraine, country's police say
Two British men have gone missing in Ukraine, according to the country's national police, heading to an area the Ministry of Defence has said is likely now controlled by Russian and Wagner Group forces.
Officers said Andrew Bagshaw, 48, and Christopher Parry, 28, were last seen on Friday.
They were believed to be heading to the town of Soledar in the eastern Donetsk region of the country, where heavy fighting is reported, and contact with them was lost.
Bagshaw, a resident of New Zealand, was in Ukraine to assist in delivering humanitarian aid, according to New Zealand media reports.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: "We are supporting the families of two British men who have gone missing in Ukraine."
Russians advance in the Donbas
Russian and Wagner Group forces are increasing pressure on Ukrainian defences in the Donbas and are likely in control of Soledar – a town just 10km north of Bakhmut, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has said.
The Soledar axis is "highly likely" an effort to envelop Bakhmut from the north and disrupt Russia's lines of communication, according to UK defence intelligence.
Some of the fighting has focused on entrances to disused salt mines, 200km long, which run underneath the district.
The MOD says that both sides are likely worried the tunnels could be used for infiltration behind their lines.
Despite the increased pressure on Bakhmut, Russia is unlikely to take the town anytime soon, due to stable Ukrainian defensive lines and control over supply routes, the MOD added.
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