Ukraine's northeast, eastern and southern regions were hit by another wave of missile strikes at the start of the week, while Russian forces and their colleagues in the Wagner Group of mercenary forces have made "tactical advances" into the small Donbas town of Soledar near Bakhmut, according to the latest intelligence update from Britain's Ministry of Defense.
Soledar is around 6 miles north of Bakhmut, the capture of which likely continues to be Russia's immediate main operational objective.
On Monday night, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that while Russian forces "have now concentrated their greatest efforts on Soledar, the result of this difficult and long battle will be the liberation of our entire Donbas."
He conceded, however, that the fighting was "extremely difficult" around Soledar, a place where he said there were barely any walls left standing.