Russian forces have claimed full control of Bakhmut, ending an intense monthslong battle for the eastern city that came to embody Ukrainian resistance.

The news will serve as a symbolic boost for Russian President Vladimir Putin, but his first major battlefield victory in nearly a year may be a fleeting one, with his military forced onto the backfoot around the city and beyond.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has spent the weekend rallying support from world leaders, was asked about the city’s status ahead of a meeting with President Joe Biden in Japan at the G7 summit.