<span style="color: #222222;">Russia's defence ministry has denied reports that Ukrainian soldiers have made advances on the front line in east Ukraine. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group fighting on the Russian side, had accused regular Russian troops of abandoning positions around Bakhmut.<br />''<br />''Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said it was too early to start a counter-offensive.  His army needs more equipment ahead of the counter-offensive.</span><br />