Volodymyr Zelenskiy lands in Italy to meet the pope as Ukraine wins ground

Russian troops withdraw from positions in Bakhmut due to ‘severe shortage of combat units’, says the MoD

Ukraine has regained at least a kilometre of territory in the eastern city of Bakhmut amid a Russian alleged withdrawal from the area, as the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy landed in Rome on Saturday to meet Pope Francis for the first time since Russia’s invasion.

Over the past four days, Russian troops from the 72nd separate motor rifle brigade (72 SMRB) possibly withdrew “in bad order” from their positions on the southern flank of the Bakhmut operation, said the UK’s Ministry of Defence, in a move that, according to the British intelligence, reflects Moscow’s “severe shortage of credible combat units”.