Why Russia Is So Determined To Capture Bakhmut

Time ^ | FEBRUARY 7, 2023 | YASMEEN SERHAN AND TARA LAW

[MinorityRepublican]

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches the one-year mark, all eyes are trained on one small, war-ravaged city: Bakhmut. There, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, is where one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles of the war is currently playing out as Russia tries to achieve its first major battlefield victory since its capture of the eastern cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk over the summer.

Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation on the frontline as “very difficult” in his Sunday evening address to Ukrainian citizens, Russian forces have yet to encircle the city.

This months-long battle for Bakhmut has come at the cost of hundreds of Ukrainian and Russian casualties per day, according to some estimates, as well as the city of Bakhmut itself. “Burnt ruins” is how Zelensky described it during one of his nightly addresses in December, the outcome of what has been likened to World War I-style trench warfare.

Russia’s offensive on eastern Ukraine, parts of which Moscow purported to annex in September, reflects Vladimir Putin’s long-held aim of capturing Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, collectively known as the Donbas—a tall order that Russian troops have been tasked with achieving by March, according to Ukrainian officials.

[MinorityRepublican]

🇷🇺 have advanced Southwest from Blahodatne putting Ukraine's control of Paraskoviivka and Krasna Hora at risk. 🇷🇺 are nearing the outskirts of the settlement of Ivanivske from its Southeast.

[Brian Griffin]

Threatening encirclement seems more rational than street by street fighting in my non-expert opinion.

[blackberry1]

Fresh Uke recruits hustled to the frontlines last a mere four hours in the grinder.

This is a very sad situation and Biden has blood on his hands. Should have never happened....