An "epic" battle, which brings to mind the siege of the Azovstal steel plant, in Mariupol, but in a new strategic context on the field where the Wagner mercenary brigades - almost a year later - also fight to demonstrate their supremacy on the field over the Russian regular army, in an internecine war of Russian forces that - perhaps - is a power struggle, politics, projected towards the future of the conflict. Orggi is also fought underground in Bakhmut, in the tunnel network of the Azom industrial plant. At least according to the mercenaries of the Wagner brigade: on the channel of the paramilitary group of Yevgeny Prigozhing a few days ago, they published images depicting them in the metalworking plant in the city center, the same one where in December President Volodymyr Zelensky gave medals to the defenders of the city where the battle is now raging.


Azom: a symbolic battle It is the symbolic
battle, up to the last ammunition - which is very reminiscent of the epic Ukrainian resistance, in the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol - and up to the last "hand-to-hand": a fierce fight on which not even Kiev intends to give an inch, not even now that everything around is almost ashes.

Tg2

A photo taken from the Tg2 interview with a family near Bakhmut, around only rubble

Bakhmut, door to Kramatorsk
There are few souls left in Bakhmut, the rest is devoured by war, Zelensky on several occasions strongly reiterated, including in meetings with his military, on the need to "hold and defend the city".

But Kiev keeps the point, does not want to give Moscow the chance to plant a flag to offer to its public opinion, and moreover breaking down the door of Bakhumt, Russian troops would inevitably proceed towards Kramatorsk, and then who knows. Giving in now means opening a gap, with worrying prospects on the ground.

It is true that Russian forces have not advanced significantly for months and Ukraine remains determined to build a wall in an attempt to keep Russia's road blocked. Leaving Bakhmut - it was explained to Kiev on several levels - would mean giving Putin's forces the opportunity to open a way: but the resistance is paying the price of thousands of deaths, on both sides.


W.Post Inquiry: "Ukrainian Troops Mood Is Low"The Washington Post reports on this in an investigation that shows that Ukrainian forces have suffered significant losses of men and weapons since the beginning of the war: to the point that Western allies are now questioning whether resisting Bakhmut is a wise strategy: "
The quality of Ukrainian forces has been degraded by a year of losses, the mood of the frontline troops is gloomy, some Ukrainian officials question Kiev's readiness to organize the spring counteroffensive," the American newspaper points out.

Washington Post: "Ukraine may have suffered up to 120,000 dead and wounded, compared to 200,000 Russians"


Afp

Fighting near Bakhmut March 11, 2023

"Lack of artillery shells and bombs"
The Post also notes, based on assessments by Western and Ukrainian sources, that the influx of inexperienced recruits, brought into battle by the Kiev army to buffer losses, has changed the profile of Ukrainian forces, which also suffer from a basic shortage of ammunition, including artillery shells and mortar bombs. according to military personnel in the field.

German Leopard 2: "Ukrainian troops trained"Ukraine may soon deploy German Leopard 2 as well, because - according to CNN quoting a spokesman for the Bundeswehr's special training command, the German army - "
Ukrainian soldiers have almost completed their tank training in Munster, Germany".

In support of Ukraine against the last, fluctuating but constant, advances of Russian forces in the now almost conquered city, the latest British intelligence report, which writes: "In the last week, Russian attempts to storm the city of Vuhledar in Donetsk oblast have almost certainly slowed. This follows repeated and extremely costly failed attacks in the previous three months." According to the British 007, one of the reasons for the heavy losses suffered by Russia "was the successful adoption by Ukraine of the RAAM remote anti-tank mine systems, a specialized artillery shell that disperses anti-tank mines up to 17 km away from the unit of fire".

"Russia's only notable recent tactical success has been in the Bakhmut sector, which is dominated by the mercenary forces of the Wagner Group, currently engaged in a public feud with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

"There is a realistic possibility that the Russian Defense Ministry has insisted on its drive for success in Vuhledar, in part because it wants its own success to rival the results of Wagner."