Ukrainian troops have been forced to withdraw from some areas around the city of Bakhmut as Russia renewed its offensive with intense artillery fire over the past two days, Britain said on Friday in an intelligence update cited by Reuters.

"Russia has renewed its assault on the town of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, as the forces of the Russian Defense Ministry and the Wagner group have improved their cooperation," the statement said, referring to the Russian Ministry of Defense and its main mercenary force.

"Ukrainian forces are experiencing significant supply problems but have carried out an orderly withdrawal from positions they have been forced to retreat," the British military said in a daily intelligence update.

Wagner took the lead on the Russian side in the months-long battle, the deadliest of the war for troops on both sides, but the leader of the mercenary group complained of little support for his forces from the regular army.

"Ukrainian defenses still hold the western districts of the city, but have come under particularly intense Russian artillery fire over the past 48 hours," British intelligence said.

According to it, the Wagner forces are now concentrating on advancing into the center of Bakhmut, while Russian paratroopers support them in attacks on the city's flanks.

Bakhmut, home to about 70,000 people before the war, is the main target of Russia's massive winter offensive, which has so far produced little success despite infantry ground fighting of an intensity not seen in Europe since World War II.

Taking the city would be Russia's first significant victory in eight months. Moscow claims this will pave the way for seizing more territory in the eastern part of Ukraine's Donbas region, a main goal of the war.

Ukraine, which is gearing up for its own counteroffensive, appeared poised to give up Bakhmut in late February, but announced in March that it would continue to fight there, saying Russia was taking increasing casualties in its attempts to storm it.

Read more from the 415th day of the war in Ukraine.

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