Wagner mercenary group claims control of 'eastern part' of Bakhmut

Russia's demands for the extension of a deal that allows the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea have not yet been met, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Wednesday, adding that Ankara is "working very hard" to ensure the deal continues.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July allowed grain to be exported from three Ukrainian ports. It was extended in November and until March 18 and will expire unless another extension is agreed.

Russia signalled that obstacles to its own agricultural exports needed to be removed before it let the Ukraine's Black Sea deal continue.

"Turkey is working very hard for the extension of the Black Sea grain deal, negotiations are still going on," a Turkish diplomatic source said.

"Russia's concerns, or the rather the difficulties that it is facing, have not been overcome yet. But Turkey is doing its part for an agreement between all parties," the source added.

1:16pm: Bakhmut may fall 'in coming days', says NATO chief

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Wednesday that the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut may fall into Russian hands in the coming days following months of intense fighting.

 "What we see is that Russia is throwing more troops, more forces and what Russia lacks in quality they try to make up in quantity," Stoltenberg told reporters in Stockholm on the sidelines of a meeting of EU defence ministers.

"They have suffered big losses, but at the same time, we cannot rule out that Bakhmut may eventually fall in the coming days."

The head of the Western military alliance, which backs Ukraine, insisted: "It is also important to highlight that this does not necessarily reflect any turning point of the war."

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