KYIV, Ukraine – Russian forces are engaged in “mopping up” operations to clear the remaining Ukrainian soldiers from the ruins of Bakhmut, a senior Ukrainian official said Monday, while the military commanders in Kyiv sought to shift the focus from their apparent loss of the city. in the war for its exterior.
The commander of the ground forces of Ukraine, Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, admitted over the weekend that only a small group of Ukrainian soldiers were now inside Bakhmut, a tacit acknowledgment that Russia had won a nearly year-long campaign to capture the city. General Syrsky said some troops will continue to defend their ground to provide “opportunities to enter the city if conditions change.”
The comments marked a change in how Ukraine portrayed the deadliest campaign of the war as Russia claimed its first significant battlefield success since last summer. For months, even as its hold on Bakhmut has shrunk to a few blocks to the west, Ukraine has waged a fierce battle to prevent the Russians from seizing the city. Officials now appear to recognize that their focus has changed from defending Bakhmut to making it difficult for the Russians to hold it.
While most of the battlefields in Kyiv cannot be confirmed, it is clear that Ukrainian forces have made small gains in recent weeks north and south of Bakhmut, penetrating a Russian defensive position. in a decisive battle that began on May 6.
Speaking during a visit to Ukrainian soldiers on the eastern front on Sunday, General Syrsky admitted on Sunday that Ukrainian forces continue to advance in the suburbs of Bakhmut and are “close to the tactical encirclement of the city.” But the Ukrainian military did not provide details on where it was advancing.
Territory reclaimed
in Ukraine since
May 10
estimated
city limits
Territory reclaimed
in Ukraine since
May 10
estimated
city limits
Territory reclaimed
in Ukraine since
May 10
estimated
city limits
Territory reclaimed
in Ukraine since
May 10
estimated
city limits
Last Monday, Maj. Rodion Kudriashov, a commander of the Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade, said the Ukrainians continued to make small but important gains around the city.
“We try to feel the enemy’s weak spots and gradually, little by little, we try to squeeze him, occupying advantageous positions for us, taking the initiative,” he said in an interview. of the Ukrainian broadcaster RBC-Ukraine.
Some analysts say that the Ukrainian claims appear to be an effort to put a gloss on the failure of Bakhmut.
“Discussions about the tactical roundup are premature and likely reflect a quick response to the fall of the city,” Konrad Muzyka, a defense analyst for Rochan Consulting, wrote Monday.
That does not mean, however, that Russia’s grip on the city is secure. Much may depend on the plans of the enthusiastic and bombastic head of the Wagner mercenary group in Russia, Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose fighters led the Russian attack on Bakhmut. Hours after declaring “victory” over the weekend, Mr. Prigozhin said he would withdraw his fighters starting Thursday.
“From June 1, not a single Wagner PMC fighter will go forward until we undergo re-formation, re-equipment and additional training,” he said.
Withdrawing forces from an active front is no simple task, and could leave Russia vulnerable to attacks from Ukrainian troops on high ground outside the city. Given the widely reported tension between Wagner and the Russian military leadership, and communication problems within the Russian ranks, analysts say Ukraine will be on the lookout for fissures to exploit.
Even if Mr. Prigozhin does not withdraw his fighters now, military analysts note that Russia will face challenges in controlling Bakhmut, especially with Ukrainian forces preparing a counter- offensive that could extend the fighting to other parts of the 600-mile-long front line.
“Russian forces will likely need additional reinforcements to hold the city of Bakhmut and its flanks at the expense of operations in other directions,” the Institute for the Study of War wrote in its latest its analysis on Sunday.
Ukrainians and British military intelligence have both reported that there is evidence that the Russian military has sent thousands of soldiers to the area.
Hanna Maliar, a deputy Ukrainian defense minister, said on Monday that while “the enemy is mopping up areas of the city under his control,” Ukraine continues to “struggle for dominant heights” in around the city.
So far, he said, the Ukrainian soldiers have fulfilled their main objective in the war for Bakhmut.
“The offensive potential of the enemy is greatly reduced,” he said. “The enemy suffered many losses, and we gained time for some actions which may be described later.”
