Russia has deployed additional troops to the Bakhmut area and begun to use artillery more efficiently in the area, achieving some success.

According to the UK Ministry of Defence report, in recent days, Russian forces have regained some momentum in the battle for Bakhmut. Since late March 2023, their advance had largely stalled.

Russia has made further gains and has now highly likely advanced into the town centre, and has seized the west bank of the Bakhmutka River, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence. 

Ukraine’s key 0506 supply route to the west of the town is likely severely threatened.

"Russian regular forces, likely including airborne troops, have probably reinforced the area, and Russia is again using artillery more effectively in the sector. There is realistic possibility that, locally, Wagner and Russian MoD commanders have paused their ongoing feud and improved co-operation," the UK Defence Intelligence said. 

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, said on Monday that Ukraine is still fighting hard for the eastern city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, despite Russian propagandists’ claims.

Kirby’s remarks responded to the video released by Wagner Group owner Yevgeny Prigozhin on Sunday, 2 April. In the video, Prigozhin says that a Russian flag was raised above a key administrative building in Bakhmut, marking the city’s "official" transition under Russian control.

In response, Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, stressed that Russia was far from capturing Bakhmut and said that fighting in the vicinity of the administrative building in question was still underway.