Russia has said it has captured key Ukrainian city—Bakhmut as the country’s President Vladimir Putin congratulated his soldiers.

According to the report in NDTV, Russia has captured the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, epicentre of the fighting.

It said Russia’s Presidentr Vladimir Putin has congratulated his troops and private mercenary group Wagner.

“The announcement from the Russian army came hours after Kyiv said the battle was continuing, while admitting the situation was critical , and with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky meeting G7 leaders in Japan,” it said.

Bakhmut, a salt-mining town that once had a population of 70,000 people, has been the scene of the longest and bloodiest battle in Moscow's more than year-long Ukraine offensive, it mentioned.

“The fall of Bakhmut, where both Moscow and Kyiv are believed to have suffered huge losses, would allow Moscow to bring home a key victory after a series of humiliating defeats,” it mentioned.

“It would also come before a major counteroffensive that Kyiv has been preparing for months. Zelensky himself has warned that the fall of the city would open the way for Russian troops to capture more parts of Donbas,” it said.

"As a result of offensive actions of the Wagner assault units, with the support of artillery and aviation of the 'Southern' unit, the liberation of the city of Artemovsk was completed," the report quoted Russia's defence ministry.

"Vladimir Putin congratulated the assault units of Wagner as well as all servicemen of units of the Russian armed forces who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the completion of the operation to liberate the city,” it mentioned.
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