The Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged that its forces are leaving Bakhmut, Ukraine, where they have been attempting to take over unsuccessfully for months.
Igor Konashenkov, a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, said on Friday that Russia had regrouped to more advantageous defensive positions north of Bakhmut.
Ukraine Plans Counteroffensive as Russia Falters in Bakhmut
The revelation comes after months of Russian efforts to seize Bakhmut, which authorities targeted as a key city to seize because they thought it may determine how the war would play out.
A rail and road crossing in Bakhmut connect to the Donbas’ key critical cities.
According to US intelligence assessments, Russia is in a precarious position as Ukraine gets ready to launch a counteroffensive perhaps this spring or summer.
Ukraine stated on Friday that its forces are making progress in Bakhmut in some pockets, despite President Zelensky’s assertion that Ukraine still needs more time before beginning its counter-offensive.
Russia’s strategy and communication for the apparent retreat still seem to be in flux.
The Ukrainian military has not advanced in Bakhmut, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The leader of the Russian Wagner Group, which has been engaged in combat, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, asserted that the retreat is a flight rather than a regrouping.
He lamented the abandonment of regions this week. Prigozhin recognized that Ukraine was constructing some effective defenses.
Russia’s Months-Long Unsuccessful Takeover Attempt
According to Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, it appeared earlier this week that the Russians were making a push in it by stepping up their bombardment and employing more sophisticated tools.
As per Syrskyi, this demonstrates that the adversary is not going to change their intentions and is doing all possible to take Bakhmut under control and continue offensive actions.
Following a lack of Russian victories across the Ukrainian battlefield, Russia’s war to seize Bakhmut has been going on for a while.
Despite declarations of a Russian offensive this winter, Moscow has only just taken control of a small number of territories.
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