<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Ukraine says it has recaptured ground in Bakhmut, a rare advance after months of grinding Russian gains in the eastern city.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Kyiv said its forces advanced 2km (1.2 miles) in a week. Russia said its troops had regrouped in one area.</div><div><br></div><div>The claims signal a momentum shift in Bakhmut - but more widely, there is no clear evidence of an Ukrainian counter-offensive.</div><div><br></div><div>However, two explosions were reported on Friday in Russian-occupied Luhansk.</div><div><br></div><div>Images posted on social media, verified by the BBC, show a big plume of black smoke rising from the city, which lies about 90km (55.9 miles) behind the front line in eastern Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>The blasts come a day after the UK said it had supplied Ukraine with long range Storm Shadow cruise missiles.</div><div><br></div><div>Kremlin-appointed officials said six children in Luhansk were injured in a missile attack alongside Russian parliamentarian Viktor Vodolatsky. The authorities there have blamed the attack on Kyiv.</div><div><br></div><div>Luhansk is beyond the reach of the Himars rockets Ukraine has previously relied on for deep strikes against Russian targets.</div><div><br></div><div>But Russian-appointed officials in the region said they thought Ukrainian-made missiles were responsible, hitting administrative buildings of two defunct enterprises. Source: BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>