Russian forces appear to be stepping up their artillery bombardments and air strikes on the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Wednesday that fierce fighting is taking place in Bakhmut, and Maryinka, southwest of the regional capital of Donetsk.

A Ukrainian commander said on Tuesday that Russian forces are focusing their attacks on Bakhmut to take control of it. He said the enemy is increasing its use of heavy artillery and the number of air strikes, turning the city into ruins.

The British defense ministry said in its intelligence update on Tuesday that Russia is most likely diverting "resources toward the Bakhmut sector."

The ministry also pointed out that the Russian troops and Wagner Group forces "continue to make creeping advances" and the front line in the city center "largely follows the main railway line."

Meanwhile, Russia's presidential office announced on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin visited the Russian-occupied southern region of Kherson and the eastern region of Luhansk. Moscow unilaterally annexed them last year.

The office said Putin was briefed at military headquarters about the combat situation.

The Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, commented on Putin's visit that it likely "intended to publicly identify potential scapegoats ahead of the planned Ukrainian counteroffensives," as he encouraged commanders of airborne and other forces by name.

Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine's national security and defense council secretary, indicated in an interview with the Associated Press on Monday that technical equipment is mandatory for the start of the counteroffensives, in addition to the spirit. He said, "As soon as we are ready, then we will start. If we are not ready, then nobody will start unprepared."