'Fierce' battles rage in central Bakhmut as Russia claims progress

Fierce fighting was raging Monday for control of the centre of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, the bloodiest battle of Moscow's invasion, as Russia agreed to a short extension of a crucial UN-backed grain export deal.

Ukraine said that Russia's Wagner mercenary group -- which has claimed to be leading Moscow's charge for Bakhmut -- was pushing forward in the industrial city that has been the epicentre of fighting for months.

"Wagner assault units are advancing from several directions," the Ukrainian military said in a morning briefing.

"In fierce battles, our defenders are inflicting significant losses on the enemy."

Analysts are divided over the strategic significance of Bakhmut as a military prize but the city has gained important political stature, with both sides pouring significant resources into the fight.

Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin acknowledged that his forces were coming up against determined resistance as they sought to wrest control of the city's centre in a "very difficult" situation.

"The enemy is battling for every metre," Prigozhin said on social media.

The capture of the city would provide the Kremlin with a military win to sell to its domestic audience.

Kiev has also cautioned that Bakhmut's fall would give Russian forces a clear path deeper into the Donetsk region, which the Kremlin claimed to have annexed to Russia last year.

Bakhmut officials said Monday there were still more than 4,000 people living in the city, including 33 children.

NATO warned last week that Bakhmut could fall within a matter of days. 

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Tehran also maintains close ties with Russia even as it has stressed a...