The Ukrainian army admitted that Russian troops continue to advance to the city of Bakhmut, the General Staff of Ukraine said in an evening briefing on Wednesday, CNN reports.
“In the direction of Bakhmut, the enemy continues its offensive. They do not stop storming the city of Bakhmut,” the message reads.
The Ukrainian military also said that they managed to block Moscow’s forces in several areas of the city and its surroundings.
“Our defenders repelled shelling in the area of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Dubovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut and Ivanivske,” the General Staff said in a statement.
According to Ukraine, Russia continues to rely heavily on artillery, supported by multiple-launch missile systems and some air forces.
“During the day, the enemy launched 22 airstrikes and 29 fires from salvo fire systems. In particular, the enemy used the Shahed-136 drone. The drone has been seized.”
Bakhmut may fall in the coming days
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday before a meeting of EU defense ministers in Stockholm that Russian forces could capture Bakhmut in the coming days.
“I cannot rule out that Bakhmut may eventually fall in the coming days.”
Stoltenberg said that “this does not necessarily reflect a turning point in the war,” adding that the conflict in Donetsk region “only underscores that we should not underestimate Russia.”
On the other hand, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said in an assessment on Wednesday that Russia “does not have the ability to use the tactical capture of Bakhmut to create an operational effect.”
According to ISW, Russian forces may also lack the “mechanized forces necessary to advance beyond Bakhmut”, adding that the “tactical assault units” used in the battle for Bakhmut are likely “not capable of maneuver warfare”.
The American think tank noted that the increase in the number of casualties among Russian troops, as well as the “deconcentration of the structure of Russian forces to small assault units” could hinder the advance of Russian troops in the event of their capture of Bakhmut.
Wagner founder Yevhen Prigozhin said on Wednesday that the paramilitary group had taken control of the eastern part of the city.
“Units of the private military company Wagner have taken control of the eastern part of Bakhmut,” Prigozhin said in an audio recording on the Telegram channel of his press service.
According to Prigozhin’s estimates on Tuesday, between 12,000 and 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers are fighting in the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, which is fiercely resisting Russian troops, EFE and Agerpres reported.
Disputes between Zelenskyi and Zaluzhny regarding the departure from Bakhmut are possible
As reported by Bild, disputes arose between the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and his superior General Valery Zaluzhny, the Chief of the General Staff in Kyiv, regarding the withdrawal of troops from the city of Bakhmut.
According to the sources of the German newspaper, Zaluzhny a few weeks ago recommended the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from this city in the Donetsk region, which Russia has been trying to seize since the beginning of August last year.
Zelenskyi said that the Ukrainian army remains at its positions in Bakhmut and is not withdrawing.
Source: Hot News
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