Russia admits its forces have fallen back near Bakhmut – as Ukraine gains ground

Moscow says its troops have ‘regrouped’ to the city’s north – in what head of Wagner mercenaries has called a ‘rout’

Russia has acknowledged that some of its soldiers have fallen back north of the city of Bakhmut in a retreat that the head of the Wagner mercenary group has called a “rout”.

It is the first admission from Moscow’s Defence Ministry that Ukraine has been successfully regaining ground around Bakhmut, which Russia has been trying to take control of for months.

It comes on the day Ukraine also announced they had retaken around 2km (1.2 miles) of territory south of Bakhmut during this week.