🔴 Live: Ukraine says it has recaptured more ground around Bakhmut

Issued on: 21/08/2023 – 10:20

1 min

9:21am: Ukraine says it has recaptured three square kilometres near Bakhmut

Ukrainian forces have recaptured a clutch of territory around the eastern war-battered town of Bakhmut but made no major advances on the southern front, the deputy defence minister said Monday.

“Another three square kilometres have been liberated. In the south, the situation has not undergone significant changes. Our defenders continue to advance in the Berdyansk and Melitopol sectors,” Ganna Malyar told state television.

8:52am: Russia says thwarted Ukraine drone attack near Moscow

Russia’s defence ministry said on Monday it had thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region.

The drone was “suppressed by means of electronic warfare” and crashed in the Odintsovo district, to the southwest of the Russian capital, it said. No casualties were reported.

In recent weeks, two drone attacks were repelled over Moscow’s financial district, each causing minor damage to the facades of high-rise buildings. In May, drones were shot down near the Kremlin.

Key developments from Sunday, August 20:

Denmark and the Netherlands on Sunday announced they would provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets to fight off the Russians. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the decision by the two countries as “historic”.

Zelensky also vowed retaliation for the Russian missile strike on the city of Chernihiv the day before in which seven people were killed and over a hundred wounded, including 15 children. 

Read yesterday’s live blog to see how the day’s events unfolded.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)