There’s no sign of a cease-fire on the war’s most hotly contested front.

In the most intense battle now raging in Ukraine, the starting time of what Russia said would be a 36-hour cease-fire came and went on Friday. And Russian artillery shells kept streaking over the front line, just as they have for months.

There was no apparent letup in efforts by Moscow’s forces to hammer Ukrainians into giving up the small eastern city of Bakhmut, in Donetsk Province. With whistles and booms, artillery and mortar fire continued flying into Ukrainian-held areas from Russian positions to the east of the city. Read more

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