Yekaterinoslav Governorate

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Mariupol, state media reported Sunday, his first to the city since it was captured after a lengthy siege at the start of Moscow's offensive in Ukraine.

"Ukraine is encouraging Bulgaria to also give its MiG-29 jets, after Poland and Slovakia gave theirs." This was stated in a special interview for the Bulgarian National Television by the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Yuriy Sak.

Day 383 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Russia's advance seems to have stalled in Moscow's campaign to capture the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, a leading think tank said in an assessment of the longest ground battle of the war.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the "Wagner Group" paramilitary formation, which is fighting in Ukraine, claims that the entire eastern part of the city of Bakhmut is under Russian control.

The owner of Russia's Wagner Group military company claimed Wednesday that his troops have extended their gains in the key Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut as fierce fighting continues in the war's longest battle.

Although it looks increasingly likely that Russia is going to capture Bakhmut, the heavy loss of men and equipment in its attempt to seize the mining town in the Donetsk region could limit its ability to launch new offensives in the near future.

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has dismissed the deputy head of the Ukrainian Security Service.

Ukraine pledged Monday to bolster its defences in frontline Bakhmut, after reports that Kiev was withdrawing from the city that has become a symbolic prize in the war.

But Ukrainian forces fighting to retain control of the salt-mining town told AFP its capture by Russia was inevitable and that some units had already begun to pull back.

Day 375 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours: