Thousands rush to flee 'nearly destroyed' Ukrainian town amid heavy fighting

Around 4,000 Ukrainian citizens are now stranded in the eastern town of Bakhmut, which was described as "almost destroyed" by Deputy Mayor Oleksandr Marchenko< /p> Heavy fighting takes place in Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine, where thousands of people are trying to flee (

Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Russian and Ukrainian forces were fighting in the streets of Bakhmut last night as its 4,000 remaining citizens cowered in dugouts.

Stuck without water, electricity or telecommunications, the city in eastern Ukraine is "almost destroyed", but is not yet under Russian control, said its deputy mayor Oleksandr Marchenko.

He accused the Russians of having "no purpose" but of wanting to commit the "genocide of the Ukrainian people".

A woman was killed and two men injured as they crossed a makeshift bridge. According to a representative of the Ukrainian army, it is too dangerous for civilians to leave the city in vehicles, with people fleeing on foot. A pontoon bridge has been put in place to help locals reach the nearby village of Khromove.

In a joint statement, Volodymyr Zelensky and EU President Roberta Metsola said "all those responsible" for alleged war crimes must be brought to justice before peace is restored.

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Ukrainian officers help an elderly woman in Bakhmut (

Picture:

Evgeny Maloletka/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov caused laughter at a conference in India when he claimed that Russia was a victim of Ukrainian aggression.

A Ukrainian military official told The Associated Press that it is now too dangerous for civilians to drive out of town, with people fleeing on foot instead.

A pontoon bridge has been set up by Ukrainian soldiers to help the few remaining residents of the town reach the nearby village of Khromove.

A few hours earlier, President Zelensky had spoken with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and senior European legal officials about...