Ukrainian National Security Secretary Says Kiev Not Going To Leave Hotly Contested Bakhmut

Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said on Thursday that the Ukrainian armed forces "are not going to surrender" the city of Bakhmut, also known as Artyomovsk, after a statement by Russian forces that they had almost taken the city under their control.

Earlier in the day, a serviceman from Russia's Wagner Group private military company told Sputnik that Bakhmut had practically been taken under the control of the Russian armed forces, as their positions stand only half a mile from the entry to the city.

"We are not going to surrender Bakhmut and will hold the line as long as the military considers it necessary for tactical and strategic purposes," Danilov told Ukrainian broadcaster Rada.