Ukraine made no immediate comment on the attack, which would be one of its deepest and most daring strikes into Russia.

Local officials in Ukraine’s capital say Kyiv has been subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia’s war as the city prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding

Analysts believe many of those killed in the 9-month fight for Bakhmut were Russian convicts with little military training.

Responding to a reporter’s question about the status of the city at the Group of Seven summit in Japan, Zelensky said: ‘Bakhmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation as of today.’

Amid the intensified air assaults, China said its special envoy met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during talks in Kyiv earlier this week.

It was the eighth time this month that Russian air raids had targeted the capital.

Europe’s pre-eminent human rights organization is holding a 2-day summit in Reykjavik starting Tuesday and will center on the war in Ukraine, one of its member states.