Populated places in Ukraine

Russia unleashed a massive missile barrage on cities across Ukraine early Thursday, targeting energy infrastructure facilities in the first attack on such a scale in three weeks. Ukrainian officials said residential buildings were hit but didn't immediately say if there were casualties.

The owner of Russia's Wagner Group military company claimed Wednesday that his troops have extended their gains in the key Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut as fierce fighting continues in the war's longest battle.

Although it looks increasingly likely that Russia is going to capture Bakhmut, the heavy loss of men and equipment in its attempt to seize the mining town in the Donetsk region could limit its ability to launch new offensives in the near future.

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has dismissed the deputy head of the Ukrainian Security Service.

The founder and leader of the Russian mercenary group "Wagner", Yevgeny Prigozhin, addressed the public via social networks, sending a message that they were "squeezed" by Ukrainian troops.

Ukraine pledged Monday to bolster its defences in frontline Bakhmut, after reports that Kiev was withdrawing from the city that has become a symbolic prize in the war.

But Ukrainian forces fighting to retain control of the salt-mining town told AFP its capture by Russia was inevitable and that some units had already begun to pull back.

We are talking about a town that had around 10,000 inhabitants before the war, and which has now been razed to the ground, writes Slobodna Dalmacija, which states that the AP news agency published photos of Marinka taken by a drone that show similar scenes.

As reported by CNN, the bridge was blown up in the night between Thursday and Friday.
Police in the city of Konstantinivka told CNN they hope the bridge will be repaired in the coming days, as it is a vital artery for the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of supplies such as ammunition.

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Moscow: Russian troops surround the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

The Russian army is intensifying its attacks at Bakhmut, the aim being to exhaust and destroy the garrison