Russia has 'destroyed' Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that invading Russian forces had "destroyed" the eastern city of Bakhmut, The Associated Press reported.

"The occupiers actually destroyed Bakhmut, another Donbas city that the Russian army turned into burnt ruins," Zelensky said during his nightly video address. It is unclear, though, what the Ukrainian president meant by "destroyed," as reports indicated that a number of buildings in Bakhmut remained standing, with citizens still roaming the city streets.

While Ukrainian forces continue to cause problems for the invading Russian forces, the destruction of Bakhmut comes as Russia launches a barrage of heavy attacks on the country's eastern region. Much of this fighting has been centered on four provinces that Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed in September. Bakhmut is a key strategic point in Donetsk, where, along with the province of Luhansk, fighting remains heavy.

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Along with Zelensky, the Ukrainian military also reported a number of continuing missile strikes in the eastern portion of the country, as Moscow continues to ramp up its bombardments of the "annexed" regions.

"Bakhmut, Soledar, Maryinka, Kreminna. For a long time, there is no living place left on the land of these areas that have not been damaged by shells and fire," Zelensky added, naming cities that had been severely damaged by the ongoing attacks.

However, there may be a bright spot on the horizon, as the United States on Friday announced a new tranche of military aid for Ukraine, per Reuters. The U.S. also vowed to disrupt Iranian military ties with Russia.