they ve started handing over control of the eastern city to moscow s army. the battle for bakhmut has been the longest and bloodiest of the war. this aerialfootage taken earlier this month shows intense shelling in a residential area. most people fled before fighting broke out. bakhmut is of little strategic value, but its capture would be a symbolic victory for russia. meanwhile, the ukrainian president volodymr zelensky made a surprise commencement speech for graduates atjohns hopkins university in the us. i m proud that ukraine is not losing a single day in its defence against russian terror. every day, we do everything to become stronger, to give more protection to people, to save more lives. the united states is also not lost a single day to help ukraine repel the russian aggression. the battle for bakhmut began last august. ukraine says its forces still control part of it. our bbc verify team has been looking at images that show the extent of the destruction there durin
control of the eastern city to moscow s army. the battle for bakhmut has been the longest and bloodiest of the war. this aerialfootage taken earlier this month shows intense shelling in a residential area. most people fled before fighting broke out. bakhmut is of little strategic value, but its capture would be a symbolic victory for russia. the battle for bakhmut began last august. ukraine says its forces still control part of it. our bbc verify team has been looking at images that show the extent of the destruction there during these months of fighting. this is bakhmut before russia invaded ukraine. once famous for its sparkling wine and thousands of rose bushes. this is bakhmut now reduced to a landscape of ruin and death. but not defeated, the ukrainian army told us. ukrainian troops stay in south western part of bakhmut. ukrainian army keep pushing the enemy from site of the city. 70,000 people used to live here before russia s full scale invasion of ukraine. i was her
hello, i m vishala sri pathma. ukrainian officials have dismissed claims that the city of bakhmut has fallen to russia, after wagner mercenaries said they ve started handing over control of the eastern city to moscow s army. the battle for bakhmut has been the longest and bloodiest of the war. this aerialfootage taken earlier this month shows intense shelling in a residential area. most people fled before fighting broke out. bakhmut is of little strategic value, but its capture would be a symbolic victory for russia. meanwhile, the ukrainian president volodymr zelensky made a surprise speech for graduates atjohns hopkins university in maryland. i m proud that ukraine is not losing a single day in its defence against russian terror. every day, we do everything to become stronger, to give more protection to people, to save more lives. the united states has also not lost a single day to help ukraine repel the russian aggression. the battle for bakhmut began last august, and ukra
where officials there have dismissed claims that the city of bakhmut has fallen to russia, after wagner mercenaries said they d begun handing over control of the eastern city to moscow s army. the battle for the city has been the longest and bloodiest of the war. this aerialfootage taken earlier this month shows intense shelling in a residential area, most people had already fled before fighting broke out. bakhmut is of little strategic value to moscow, but its capture would be a symbolic victory for russia. here s part of the recording made by the head of that russian mercenary group, wagner. translation: we are withdrawing units from bakhmut. today, it s 5am on the 25th of may. by the 1st ofjune, the main parts of the unit will be relocated at the rear camps. we re handing over our positions to the military. ammunition, positions, everything, including food rations. the battle for bakhmut began last august, and ukraine says its forces still control part of it. our verify