Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that if Bakhmut in Donetsk province is breached by Russian forces, it will open an offensive route through major eastern cities.
In an interview with CNN on the 7th (local time), President Zelensky said, “If the Russian army captures Bakhmut, it will be able to advance further.” The road to the fields will open,” he said.
He explained that this is why he decided to stick with Bahmut. “This is why we are there,” he said.
Bahmut has been the hottest battleground in the Russo-Wu War in recent months. Russian forces are advancing on Bahmut and attempting to besiege the city after capturing Soledar in the east in January.
According to CNN, Bahmut itself does not have significant strategic value. However, it links the industrial hub of Kramatorsk to the northwest of the city with Slovyansk, thus opening the way for the Russian army to advance.
As casualties increased in some parts of Ukraine, there was talk of a ‘strategic retreat’ at one time, but in the end, they decided to stay and defend the city.
At a regular meeting of the Military Staff the previous day, President Zelensky ordered to strengthen the defense of Bahmut, saying, “There is not a single piece of territory in Ukraine that can be abandoned.”
In an interview with CNN, President Zelensky said, “At yesterday’s meeting (military staff) all said that we must firmly defend Bahmut. Of course, the lives of our soldiers must also be considered. But we must do everything we can to get weapons and supplies and prepare the military for a counterattack.”
About 95% of civilians have been evacuated.
“Currently, about 4,000 civilians, including 38 children, remain in the city,” Deputy Prime Minister Irina Bereshuk said. The pre-war population was 70,000.
In addition, both the Russian and Ukrainian forces are suffering heavy losses, but it is estimated that the Russian side suffered more damage.
According to the Guardian, Western officials said, “It is believed that between 20,000 and 30,000 people were killed and wounded during the Russian siege of Bahmut.” It estimates that fewer than 21,000 people died, many of them prisoners recruited by the Wagner Group, a private Russian mercenary company.
Although it did not provide details about the losses of the Ukrainian army, it was considered less than that of the Russian army. In this regard, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) intelligence agency said the day before that the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed was analyzed to be one-fifth of the number of Russian soldiers.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.