if it falls, it would be the first russian victory of note in more than six months. 0ur diplomatic correspondent, james landale, reports from kyiv. munitions explode this is bakhmut, or at least what s left of it, after some of the fiercest fighting since russia invaded ukraine. for more than six months, as the bbc has reported, ukrainian forces have held off a ferocious onslaught, but now russian commanders are growing increasingly confident, including the leader of the mercenaries known as the wagner group, which have been at the heart of the assault. translation: we have - almost surrounded bakhmut. there s only one road that remains in and out of the city, the pincers are closing. before, we were fighting against the professional ukrainian army, but now we fight against old men and boys. ukrainian forces are still defending the city, street by street and reports suggest reinforcements are being sent in, but these russian troops say the ukrainian army is destroying bridges
were being broken. i believed implicitly that these events were within the rules. nor did anybody tell me before afterwards anything to the contrary. with the oscars a week away, we hear from some of those involved in the film living. for me i didn t feel daunted or oppressed by the original film or by the situation. ijust felt that i was very fortunate. and memories of 1930s glasgow we meet the artist holding his first exhibition at the age of 95. i think ithinki i think i got that atmosphere here. i think ijust got it right. here. i thinkl “ust got it riuht. ~ here. i thinkl “ust got it riiht, . ., right. welcome to the programme. - right. welcome to the programme. first, - right. welcome to the - programme. first, russian mercenaries say that they have surrounded most of bakhmut in eastern ukraine. the city has been the focus of extensive fighting in recent weeks. ukraine has acknowledged that its troops in bakhmut are under severe pressure and may have to pull out.
we hear from some of those involved in the nominated british film living . for me the concept wasn t a remake of another film. it was this thing with bill in it. i of another film. it was this thing with bill in it. with bill in it. i did not feel daunted with bill in it. i did not feel daunted or with bill in it. i did not feel daunted or oppressed - with bill in it. i did not feel daunted or oppressed by i with bill in it. i did not feel. daunted or oppressed by the with bill in it. i did not feel- daunted or oppressed by the original film about daunted or oppressed by the original film about the situation ijust felt that i film about the situation ijust felt that i was film about the situation ijust felt that i was very fortunate. we begin in ukraine where a senior official in the besieged city of bakhmut has said that there is fighting on the streets, but that russia hasn t taken control. the city, in the eastern donetsk region, has been almost destroyed over m
controlled by any one country. ukrainian and russian forces are fighting in the northern suburbs of the city of bakhmut which has been battered by seven months of fighting. oleksandr marchenko, the deputy mayor, confirmed the street clashes, but said the russians haven t taken control. western analysts say the scene has been set for ukrainian forces to carry out a fighting withdrawal. a british defence ministry update said ukrainian soldiers are digging new trenches west of the city and are being reinforced by elite troops. the capture of bakhmut would be the first russian victory of note in more than six months of fighting. our diplomatic correspondent, james landale, sent this report from the capital, kyiv. this is bakhmut, or at least what is left of it after some of the fiercest fighting since russia invaded ukraine. for more than six months russian shells and missiles have rained down on the city, thousands of russian soldiers have died trying to seize it, now their co