Russian troops have attacked settlements near Bakhmut

Russian troops have attacked settlements near Bakhmut, a city in the east of Ukraine, with tanks, mortars, cannon and rocket artillery in the last 24 hours.

The Ukrainian general staff of the armed forces said that three missile strikes, 10 airstrikes and 62 multiple launch rocket system attacks had taken place, Qazet.az reports.

“In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy used tanks, mortars, cannon and rocket artillery to open fire on 25 settlements, including the Donetsk region’s Spirne, Berestove, Soledar, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Chasiv Yar, Stupochky, Bila Hora, Dyliivka and Opytne,” a daily update posted on Facebook said.

The area in Donetsk is hotly contested between Ukrainian forces, trying to defend the city and gain ground in the east, and Russian forces that have forced a months-long battle to try to take it.