Symbol of the struggle for control of the Donbass region, Bakhmout was the site of major clashes between Wagner’s mercenaries and Ukrainians.
By JLB with AFP
© IGNACIO MARIN FERNANDEZ / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu Agency via AFP
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I’Ukrainian army is in a bad position. Around the town of Bakhmout in eastern Ukraine, the Russians – who have been seeking to seize the place since the summer – have made progress in recent weeks, the commander of Ukrainian ground forces admitted on Tuesday (February 28th). . Also, “the situation around Bakhmout is extremely tense”, declared Oleksandre Syrsky, quoted by the official press center of the army.
“The enemy has sent the best prepared units (of the paramilitary group) Wagner to attack, trying to break through the defense of our troops and encircle the city,” he added.
“More and more complicated”
Bakhmout, whose strategic importance is disputed, has become a symbol of the struggle for control of the Donbass region. In recent weeks, the Russians have slowly progressed towards this industrial city which had some 70,000 inhabitants before the invasion of Ukraine, launched a year ago by Moscow.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged on Monday evening that the situation around Bakhmout was becoming “more and more complicated” for Ukrainian soldiers. The Russians succeeded in cutting off several important routes for the supply of Ukrainian troops. And the boss of the Wagner group, Evgueni Prigojine, claimed the conquest by his men of the village of Yaguidné, located on the northern outskirts of Bakhmout.