Russia pushes to block second city in eastern Ukraine

A local resident points at her house heavily damaged by Russian shelling in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Russian forces are trying to block a city in eastern Ukraine, the region’s governor said on Saturday, after their relentless assault on a nearby city forced Ukrainian troops to begin withdrawal after weeks of intense fighting.

Russia also launched missile attacks on areas far from the heart of the eastern battles.