(Reuters) – Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that Ukrainian forces made “mass attempts” to break through its defences in the eastern city of Bakhmut over the past 24 hours, as pressure on its troops continued to mount. Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of the city amid a surge of Ukrainian attacks, but Kyiv has played down suggestions a huge, long-planned counteroffensive has officially begun. Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of the city amid a surge of Ukrainian attacks, but Kyiv has played down suggestions a huge, long-planned counteroffensive has officially begun