According to a think tank, Ukrainian forces have made significant gains in the besieged city of Bakhmut. Geolocated footage released on Thursday showed that Ukrainian troops had advanced in Yahidne, located around a mile north of Bakhmut. The Institute of the Study of War (ISW), based in Washington DC, reported these gains. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed that offensive operations had been conducted both north and south of the city.
The UK Ministry of Defense stated that fighting around Bakhmut had intensified in the past week, following a lull in the previous month. Russian troops defending the city are believed to be experiencing poor morale and have limited ability to strike back, according to the UK MoD. The department suggested that Ukraine’s forces have made gains while Russian defenders are struggling with various units and have difficulty locating and attacking Ukrainian artillery.
The UK MoD also highlighted that capturing Bakhmut was a rare victory for Moscow, and Russian leadership likely found it politically unacceptable to concede defeat. However, the department noted that they are unlikely to have many more reserves to commit to the battle.
In addition to the gains around Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces have continued their operations in at least three other sectors of the frontline. ISW confirmed that offensive operations were ongoing in western Zaporizhia Oblast and along the administrative border between Zaporizhia and Donetsk Oblasts, as reported by the Ukrainian General Staff.
Ukraine launched its highly anticipated counteroffensive in early June to retake territory occupied by Russia. The success of the counteroffensive has been mixed, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledging that progress has been slower than desired. However, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley defended the pace of the counteroffensive, stating that Ukrainian soldiers are fighting for their lives, and war naturally progresses slowly.
The battle for Bakhmut has been ongoing for over a year. In August 2022, Russia launched an attack on the city using a combination of Wagner Group mercenaries, Russian soldiers, and pro-Russian separatist forces. Since then, Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in an intense and bloody battle for control of the city, resulting in an estimated 80,000 casualties. Although Bakhmut has limited tactical value, it holds great symbolic significance for both sides. In Ukraine, the city has come to symbolize the country’s resistance against Russia, with the slogan “Bakhmut holds!” frequently used on social media. For Russia, the battle for Bakhmut has become synonymous with the Wagner Group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin, a former close ally of Vladimir Putin, ordered his troops to rebel against the Kremlin before later calling off the mutiny in exchange for being sent to Belarus without facing further charges.
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