The Ukrainian army has been in Bakhmut for months, but in recent days there have been increasingly pessimistic reports about the position of Ukrainian troops. The British Ministry of Defense reported that the city is now almost completely surrounded by Russian troops and that the Ukrainians may be attacked from three sides.
The American think tank Institute for War Studies (ISW) reported yesterday that Ukrainian soldiers are apparently preparing to withdraw from the besieged city. This would be proven by the blowing up of two important bridges.
A spokesperson for the Ukrainian army denied today that the Ukrainian army has withdrawn. According to him, the Ukrainian troops are going in turn, but the retreat is out of the question.
uncertainty
However, there is uncertainty on the Ukrainian side as well. “We have a lot more Russians here than we have arsenal to destroy them,” a deputy commander of the National Guard told Ukrainian radio. A Ukrainian lawmaker also said earlier this week that soldiers will have to leave Bakhmut “sooner or later”.
The battle for the city in recent months has suffered many casualties on both sides.
Bakhmut has been the target of constant Russian bombardment in recent months. In the video below, you can clearly see how almost the entire city was destroyed:
Earlier this week, only 5,000 of the city’s pre-war 70,000 residents survived. According to the district governor, they refuse to leave the city. After Russian troops entered the northern parts of the city, the Ukrainian army is still trying to evacuate residents. 1 person died today, 2 people were injured.
The city can only be left on foot
A spokesperson for the Ukrainian military told the AP news agency that civilians can only leave Bakhmöt on foot. Escape with vehicles has become very dangerous.
Two weeks ago, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said his army would not continue to defend Bakhmut “at all costs”. He described the situation in the city over the past few days as difficult. He thanked the soldiers who defended Bachmoet on his Telegram channel today. He did not comment on the current situation.
The defense ministry described the Russian army’s attempts to encircle Bakhmut as “futile”.
Source: NOS
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
