Publication author
Yuri Butusov
The situation in Bakhmut. Ukrainian troops hold most of the city, including the center. Although some of our units were withdrawn from the city, this is more a matter of rotation, and not a general order to leave.
Why the Armed Forces remain in Bakhmut
A significant number of our troops are still fighting here. There are people and technology.
The enemy captured the eastern part of the city to the river Bakhmutka. The main blow of the Russians is not in the city, but from the north, bypassing Bakhmut. The fight is on for the remaining supply route. This route is under enemy fire.
The enemy is prompting our troops to withdraw from Bakhmut, since a real threat of encirclement has been created. But the enemy is advancing slowly, and therefore the Ukrainian command is confident that there is still an opportunity to hold the exit routes for some time, slowing down the pace of advance and inflicting even more losses on the Russians.
The content of the city for us in conditions of limited communication is not profitable now from the point of view of tactics. This is a matter of strategy – the Ukrainian command will hold the city to the last opportunity, as always. Unlike Kherson, Balakleya, Izyum, Liman, Kupyansk, from which the Russians fled, the Ukrainians do not leave the city without long-term resistance.
The enemy is forced to pay dearly, and slowly moves away from landing to landing, from house to house.
What is the advantage of Ukrainian soldiers near Bakhmut
Everyone who fights in the city in unfavorable conditions hopes that the time of this heroic resistance will be used to create reliable, well-equipped and camouflaged defense lines to cover Seversky, Chasovoy Yar, Konstantinovka, Druzhkovka, Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, that these lines will be promptly withdrawn combat-ready troops that will securely gain a foothold and be able to defeat the enemy.
Ukrainian soldiers demonstrate high combat capability. Where there is effective management, intelligence, organization, supply, a minimum amount of ammunition for artillery and mortars, the Russians can be defeated. We have an advantage due to better, motivated and resilient people. But war is a clash of two systems, and everything depends not only on the soldiers.
