Russia appears to be doubling down on its efforts to capture Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's armed forces said Wednesday that Russian forces continue to concentrate their efforts on capturing the besieged town and nearby areas around Lyman, Avdiivka and Marinka.
In an operational update, the general staff of Ukraine's armed forces sectors said there had been 55 combat engagements recorded in those areas in the past 24 hours. "Bakhmut and Marinka remain at the epicenter of hostilities," Ukraine's military staff reported.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was extended by two months Wednesday, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The deal, which kept Ukrainian agricultural shipping lanes open from several major ports, was set to expire May 18.