Ukrainian forces may be conducting a limited fighting withdrawal in eastern Bakhmut and are continuing to inflict high casualties against the advancing mixed Russian forces, the Instute for the Study of War (ISW) reported. Earlier, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine was enduring a “painful and difficult” battle in the eastern Donbas region, which includes Bakhmut. The Armed Forces of Ukraine may be withdrawing from their positions on the eastern bank of the Bakhmutka River, given recent geolocation footage of the destruction of the railway bridge across the river in the northeast of Bakhmut. However, it is still too early to make an assessment of Ukraine’s intentions to completely withdraw from the city of Bakhmut, ISW said.

The founder of Russia’s mercenary group Wagner, Evgeny Prigozhin, warned on Telegram that Russia’s position around the city of Bakhmut was in peril unless his forces got ammunition, Reuters reports.

According to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, there would be “consequences” if China sent weapons to Russia for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. However, he is fairly optimistic that Beijing will refrain from doing so. Scholz’s comments came in an interview with CNN.