Wagner has 'complete control' of the AZOM plant in Bakhmut, according to Russian state media.

Russia's private military group Wagner has taken "full control" of the AZOM metallurgical plant in the north of the city of Bakhmut, according to video posted by Russian state media and verified by CNN. Bakhmut has become a focal point of Russia's invasion, with Moscow pressing hard to capture the city after failing to make major gains elsewhere. Russian forces have been making incremental gains around the city, but Ukrainian forces are yet to retreat, creating a standoff that recalls drawn-out battles for other eastern cities such as Severodonetsk over the past year. On Thursday, Ukraine's top generals said Russian forces are depleted in Bakhmut and a Ukrainian counter-offensive could soon be launched. The city sits towards the northeast of the Donetsk region, about 13 miles from Luhansk region, and has been a target for Russian forces for months. Its capture would represent a long sought-after success for Moscow's forces and bring some limited strategic value.