Battle for Bakhmut: Scenes from the frontlines

A Ukrainian serviceman walks an empty street in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25, 2023. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko

Drone footage over Bakhmut shows devastation amid the fierce fighting in footage posted to social media on March 26. Reuters was not able to independently verify the date it was filmed. 93rd Mechanized Brigade "Kholodny Yar" via REUTERS

Ukrainian servicemen fire from a tank towards Russian troops near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 7. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko

A view shows an empty street and buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

A Ukrainian tank unit crew takes cover and waits for shelling to cease in a bunker, near the bombed-out eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 29. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

Ukrainian tank unit crew member, call sign "Mehan," poses for a portrait after returning from a mission at the front line near the bombed-out city of Bakhmut, March 29. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

A general view shows buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

Ukrainian servicemen rest in a shelter in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

Ukrainian service members from a battalion, named for the nom-de-guerre of their commander 'Da Vinci,' Hero of Ukraine, who was killed in a fight against Russian troops, fire a howitzer M119 at the front line near the city of Bakhmut, March 10. ...more

Ukrainian Armed Forces helicopters fly over a field outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 5. REUTERS/Anna Kudriavtseva

A Ukrainian soldier of the Paratroopers of 80th brigade listens to artillery fire from a frontline position near Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 16. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

Ukrainian service members fire a SPG-9 anti-tank grenade launcher toward Russian troops in the frontline town of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 13. Iryna Rybakova/Ukrainian Armed Forces

Ammunition is piled in a vehicle near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 8. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

A wounded Ukrainian soldier is carried on a stretcher to a converted bus, operated by Ukrainian volunteer medics, near Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 15. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

Ukrainian servicemen fire a 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 5. REUTERS/Anna Kudriavtseva

A still image taken from video released by founder of Russia's Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin's press service, shows what it said to be Wagner fighters standing with a flag on top of a building in Bakhmut. Video released March 2. Press service of...more

A Ukrainian service member rides a military vehicle in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

A general view shows an empty street and buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

A wounded Ukrainian service member is seen near a military vehicle in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

A local resident walks along an empty street in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 27. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A Ukrainian serviceman fires an automatic grenade launcher in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

A general view shows a building damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 27. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

SENSITIVE MATERIAL. THIS IMAGE MAY OFFEND OR DISTURB A body of a local resident lies in a bed inside a damaged building in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko

A Ukrainian sniper fires from his position in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 17. REUTERS/Yevhen Titov

A general view shows a building damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

A general view shows buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 27. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A Ukrainian serviceman carries weapons on an empty street in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko

Ukrainian service members are seen next to armoured vehicles near the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. REUTERS/Yan Dobronosov

A Ukrainian service member sits inside an armoured vehicle stuck near the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. REUTERS/Yan Dobronosov

A general view shows an empty street and buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

Ukrainian service members ride a self-propelled howitzer near the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 27. REUTERS/Yevhen Titov

Ukrainian servicemen are seen near an automatic grenade launcher at their positions in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 80th Independent Air Assault Brigade warms by the fire at their base near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

A general view shows an empty street and buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, March 3. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak

A Ukrainian national flag is seen in front of a building damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 28th Independent Mechanised Brigade stands on a field near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

A local resident stands near buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 27. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A Ukrainian serviceman rests in the frontline city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko

A body in a plastic bag lies near a car destroyed by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

Ukrainian servicemen of the 80th Independent Air Assault Brigade prepare to fire an Howitzer D-30 artillery weapon towards Russian troops near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Local residents are seen at a volunteers' centre in the frontline city of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A part of a rocket is seen near a building damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A Ukrainian serviceman touches a part of a piano as he rests in the front line city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 25. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko

A general view shows an apartment building damaged by a Russian military strike in the frontline city of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 19. REUTERS/Yevhen Titov

Local residents sit inside a bomb shelter in the frontline town of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 15. REUTERS/Yevhenii Zavhorodnii

A local resident stands next to his apartment building in the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 15. REUTERS/Yevhenii Zavhorodnii

A Ukrainian service member walks next to a burning building in the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 13. Iryna Rybakova/Ukrainian Armed Forces

A smog is seen during a shelling in the frontline city of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 80th Independent Air Assault Brigade walks through their base near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Ukrainian servicemen of the 80th Independent Air Assault Brigade fire a Howitzer D-30 artillery weapon towards Russian troops near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Ukrainian servicemen of the 80th Independent Air Assault Brigade take a break at their base near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

A local resident is seen in a broken window in a building damaged by a Russian military strike in the front line city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Alex Babenko

A local resident walks on a heavily damaged street in the frontline city of Bakhmut in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 19. REUTERS/Yevhen Titov

A Ukrainian service member checks the damage of a building in the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 13. Inscription on a building reads: ‘Bakhmut loves Ukraine.’ Iryna Rybakova/Ukrainian Armed Forces

Ukrainian servicemen sit inside a military truck on a road outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 13. REUTERS/Yevhenii Zavhorodnii

Ukrainian servicemen of the 80th Independent Air Assault Brigade take a break at their base near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 24. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

A Ukrainian tank is seen near the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 17. REUTERS/Yevhen Titov

A Ukrainian serviceman walks an empty street as he patrols area in the frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, February 21. REUTERS/Alex Babenko