Ukraine counter Russians in Bakhmut as situation gets 'more difficult' | USA TODAY

Almost two dozen communities near the hotly contested city of Bakhmut in Ukraine have been attacked by Russian forces. RELATED: New sanctions, protests mark one year since Russia invaded Ukraine | USA TODAY https://bit.ly/3IZR62l The region remains divided between Ukrainian and Russian control, while Russia has seized most of the Luhansk province. Together they form the eastern Donbas region that has been the focus of Putin's war. Weeks of intense fighting with heavy casualties have barely moved the frontlines. The owner of the Russian mercenary force Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said his fighters had advanced into a settlement on Bakhmut's northern edge, but the Ukrainian military disputed that claim, saying Russian forces were repelled. » Subscribe to USA TODAY: http://bit.ly/1xa3XAh » Watch more on this and other topics from USA TODAY: https://bit.ly/3HZIYge » USA TODAY delivers current local and national news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and more through award-winning journalism, photos, videos and VR. #ukraine #russia #zelenskyy