Bakhmut won't fall into Russian hands 'any time soon' So I would say in central back, 10 days ago with the times team and spoke to a lot of the soldiers fighting there and the commanders fighting there and was able to move into some areas of the center of the city. I don't think it's going to fall anytime soon. And here's why. The Russians have managed to dominate the battlefield around the city. It's a small city or large town, depending on how you look at it. In the last 48 hours, they have the Russians have captured the entire east side of the city. The city is divided north to south by a thin river. But they've been fighting in that eastern side really since the beginning of December. So it's not like they've just swept in yesterday and grabbed it. They've just got the last few streets that they didn't already hold. They have got t...

Liberating Russian-targeted territories is Ukraine's top priority We can tackle any objects in Russian territory because Russia is aggressive against Ukraine and we have all moral and juridical right to do this. But for the moment, for us, it's more important to liberate our territories. So that is our priority aim. At least nine people died earlier today in a new wave of strikes across Ukraine, in which Russia used powerful weapons, including rare hypersonic missiles. Russia had reportedly not fired Kinzau hypersonic missiles, which can evade their defenses since the beginning of the conflict. And this latest barrage was the most severe to hit Ukraine for weeks, cutting power to the Zaporizhia nuclear plant, which is Europe's biggest. Well, earlier this evening, I spoke to Alexei Honcharenko, people's deputy of Ukraine, and former chairman of the Odessa Oblast Council...

Ukraine War: Is the defence of Bakhmut a distraction? I'm joined now by the former senior military intelligence officer, Philip Ingram. Good to see you again, Philip. Now, of course, Russian forces have made some advances in recent days in Bakhmut, but on the whole, there's been very little movement on the front line in recent weeks and months. Why is that? Yeah, well, exactly. Day 374 of Vladimir Putin's 10-day Special Military Operation. And the Russians, we keep talking about this spring offensive. They're probing the front lines in different places. Bakhmut will more detail that in a moment, but further north, up around Kramina and in the south, around Donetsk, they're trying to see where their weakness is in the Ukrainian defences. And they're not really finding any. The things that are influencing at the moment, the weather, the ground is softening up. ...

Fleeing Russian soldiers on the rise as Ukraine troops advance in Bakhmut Now, the chief of Russia's Wagner mercenary group has said that President Zelensky was being deceptive after suggestions that Ukrainian forces had recaptured the city of Bakhmut. Yeah, he said that the situation on the flanks is shaping up according to the worst predicted scenario for Russia that is, so that signals more misery it would seem for Putin's troops. Well joining us this morning to help unravel these new developments is political reporter Stefan Boscher. Good morning to you Stefan, really good to have you with us and it does need unraveling this because we've had conflicting reports in the past few days about this spring offensive and movements being made by Ukraine in Bakhmut. That's right, some of the most movement was seen on a very stagnant Eastern front for a very long time now ov...

Summary: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy visits troops near the frontline as part of the summer offensive . Russian trenches near the city of Bakhmut targeted in the offensive. The enemy fiercely defends every centimeter of territory. President Zelenskyy awards gallantry medals to special forces engaged in the war. Russia intensifies missile strikes , hitting civilian areas as well. Accusations of war crimes do not deter Putin from hosting African leaders . African countries offered weapons and military training by Russia. Coup in Niger presents opportunities for Russia to extend influence. Vardner mercenary leader seeks f...

Russian Defense Ministry acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut A Ukrainian tank rumbled toward back-mood on Friday as Kiev claimed its forces had advanced more than a mile around the shattered ruins of the eastern city. Russian forces have fought for months to seize back-mood without success. The Russian Defense Ministry on Friday said that Ukraine had deployed more than 1,000 troops in up to 40 tanks in more than two dozen attempted attacks in the direction of the town of Solodar. The military admitted it was regrouping its forces, suggesting its fighters had fallen back. The leader of a Russian mercenary force gave a different assessment. Evgeny Progoshin, founder of the Wagner paramilitary group, said the Defense Ministry was lying and Russian forces had been routed and forced to flee. Reuters has been unable to verify reports of battlefield movement. Ukraine this week released w...

Summary: The eighth week of the Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian defenses is underway, with progress hampered by challenging obstacles like extensive trench systems and minefields. Ukraine strategically uses Western weapons to target Russian rear areas and ammunition dumps, attempting to break through the dense minefields obstructing their advance. The conflict's dynamics may shift as Ukraine's 9th Corps awaits reinforcement from the more seasoned fighters of the 10th Corps. The outcome of the battle for the city of Bakhmut could have broader implications for the conflict's trajectory and resource allocation f...

Russian infighting 'out of control' in Bakhmut The agreement, the understanding is that Ukraine will not strike targets on Russian territory. Well, this is the grey area. I mean, yes, the UK is saying we don't want these weapons to be used to strike Russian territory, but it's interesting that US, for example, so far has been reluctant to offer anything of the range of storm shadow. Perhaps where that grey area is crystallised is Crimea, because Crimea is de facto Russian territory now, but of course it's regarded by the UK and Western Allies as part of Ukraine still. So one thinks that that would be seen as a legitimate target in Western capitals, although obviously the reaction from Moscow would probably be pretty strong. Yeah, and it is true over the weekend that a Russian military aircraft, a couple of helicopters, a bomber and a combat aircraft were shot down ...

Ukraine War: 'Executed' soldier video could be a war crime President Zelensky has promised that Ukraine will find the Russians allegedly responsible for shooting dead an unarmed Ukrainian soldier. Footage emerged online yesterday, purportedly showing the killing and a warning that we're about to show the moments leading up to that incident. In it, an unarmed man is seen smoking a cigarette before saying, Glory to Ukraine. The man is then shot repeatedly. Sky News has been unable to independently verify the location and date of the footage. But Ukraine says the man killed is thought to be Ukrainian serviceman called Timofey Shadora, who went missing in the area around the heavily contested city of Bakhmut in early February. A video appeared today showing how the occupiers brutally killed a soldier who bravely said to their face, Glory to Ukraine. I want all of us together...

Zelenskyy Tours Europe as Ukraine Prepares Counteroffensive Against Russia Denied the opportunity to address Eurovision on Saturday, Vladimir Zelensky has nevertheless been granted audiences with some of Europe's most powerful leaders in the last few days. A warm embrace between the Ukrainian President and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday morning at Chekars. British admiration meeting with Ukrainian gratitude. Winston Churchill made many of his famous speeches in World War Two from this room. And in the same way today, your leadership, your country's bravery and fortitude are an inspiration to us all. You did a lot. Your government and His Majesty, the King and of course your people, your society where we're a temple from all our hearts from Ukrainians. The UK will provide Ukraine with air defence missiles and attack drums, in addition to the storm shadow long range ...