Is there a cause for celebration in any of this?
For either side?
I’m still trying to figure out when Ukraines punishment for skimming WEF, deep state and Russian oligarch dollars is going to end.
If true, it is a psychological victory and a propaganda achievement for Russia - it could encourage the Russian people in their support of the war effort.
President Putin needs internal unity and he needs to show some achievement after having lost large numbers of armored vehicles and apparently significant casualties (deaths and also the injured).
I believe that Russian sources value the fact that Bakhmut is at a junction of roads and rail lines - there could eventually be a logistics benefit to the capture. It also has a large salt mine that Russia captured a while ago.
The Ukrainians were emotionally invested in the city, so it might also degrade Ukrainian morale.