The Ukrainian army is preparing to launch a counterattack in the city of Bakhmut

Ukrainian forces are preparing to launch a counterattack against the advance of Russian forces in the city of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow has been trying to control since last summer. Oleksandr Sersky, Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, said in a statement today: "Time must be gained to gather reserves and launch a counterattack, which is not far off". The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense had reported that its forces had "Repelling more than a hundred Russian attacks in the main combat areas". Each side admits to having suffered losses in Bakhmut, but the city in eastern Donetsk province has become the site of one of the longest battles in the more than a year-old Russo-Ukrainian war. A recent report issued by British intelligence believes that the Ukrainians are far from restoring the city of Bakhmut, indicating that the eastern part of it is now largely under the control of Russia, while the Ukrainian army still dominates the western part of the city.