For months, fierce fighting has raged over the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. The Russian army and the Wagner mercenaries are advancing. Recently there were indications of a possible withdrawal of the defenders. Even so, Bruno Hofbauer, Major General of the Armed Forces, assumes that Bachmut is not about to fall.
“It looks like Ukraine can keep up with Bachmut in the coming days and weeks,” Hofbauer told ntv. “We have repeatedly seen retries from the Russian side, with very high losses, gaining very, very little space,” the Austrian officer explained. Currently, the invaders would try to encircle the city on both sides. Most of the attacking troops are in the north. “Ukraine is responding to this and can still respond by bringing in outside forces,” said Hofbauer.
Russia lacks momentum for offensive
Even if the Russians manage to take Bakhmut soon, the major general does not expect a large-scale offensive in the Donetsk region. “Should Bakhmut fall, I assume, as in recent months, we probably don’t have available the Russian forces at depth that have the training, equipment and thrust to actually launch a full-scale offensive here.”
Recently, military observers said Kiev could withdraw some of its forces from the city, which has been fighting for months. “Ukrainian troops may withdraw from their positions on the eastern bank of the Bakhmutka River in light of the geolocation images that confirmed the destruction of the railway bridge across the river in northeastern Bakhmut on March 3,” the US-based agency wrote. Institute for War Studies (ISW). According to Russian military bloggers, the Wagner mercenary force fighting there has now taken over parts in the east, south and north of Bakhmut.
Russian advance
The Ukrainian army has not yet officially confirmed the withdrawal. However, on the situation maps, the areas east of the Bakhmutka River are now marked as Russian or so-called gray zones. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on Monday morning in its situation report on the ongoing fighting in the area. Both the city itself and a number of suburbs were shelled from the Russian side. According to the army, 95 attacks in the Bakhmut region were repelled on Sunday. At the same time, advances of Russian troops north of Bakhmut were also allowed.
Volodymyr Nazarenko, a Ukrainian commander in Bakhmut, told Telegram that the defense is holding up even though the situation is critical. “The situation in Bakhmut and the surrounding area is almost hellish, like on the entire eastern front.” But there were no orders to retreat.
Major target for Russia
For Russia, taking the city would be the first victory in a feared winter offensive after hundreds of thousands of reservists had been mobilized. The Moscow government considers Bakhmut strategically important to the complete conquest of the Donbass – one of Russia’s main goals in the war that began just over a year ago
Source: Krone
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