The Epic Battle for Bakhmut: Ukraine’s Valiant Stand Against Russian Aggression
The city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s Donetsk region has become a key battlefield in the ongoing war between Russian and Ukrainian forces.[0] While the exact extent of the Russian’s control of the city is disputed, they have been slowly making advances in the surrounding area. This has led to a war of attrition in the city between the Russian Wagner Group mercenaries and the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with the latter making a heroic stand in the face of overwhelming odds.[1]
The strategic value of Bakhmut to Russia is contested, with some believing it could be used to cut Ukrainian supply lines in the east, while others believe it wouldn’t have much of an impact on Kyiv’s war effort.[0] Nevertheless, Moscow sees its capture as a way to present some tangible “success” one year on from its invasion of Ukraine.[0]
Ukraine’s forces have been putting up a valiant fight against the invaders, managing to repel 11 enemy attacks in Luhansk and Donetsk regions on February 11.[2] In addition, border guards successfully employed an anti-drone gun to neutralize an enemy UAV, and a positional counterattack was carried out with the use of small arms fire, automatic and anti-tank grenade launchers, resulting in 11 KIAs and six WIAs for the Russian forces.[2]
Despite their best efforts, however, Ukrainian troops are still struggling to keep the Russians at bay. The situation is made worse by the fact that Kiev lacks the capacity to rapidly advance through more traditional mechanized maneuver warfare.
It is unclear how the battle for Bakhmut will end, but it is certain that it will remain a symbol of Ukrainian courage and resistance–just like Mariupol was in the spring of 2022.[1] Whatever the outcome, Russia’s ambition to capture Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk remain a tall order, with analysts sceptical about their military capabilities.[3]
0. “Bakhmut on a knife-edge as Russia claims its soldiers are in the city” CNBC, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/09/bakhmut-on-a-knife-edge-as-russia-claims-its-soldiers-are-in-the-city.html
1. “Why Bakhmut doesn’t matter” GlobalComment.com, 7 Feb. 2023, https://globalcomment.com/why-bakhmut-doesnt-matter
2. “Bakhmut update: Border guards counterattack, eliminating 11 Russian invaders, downing UAV” Ukrinform, 12 Feb. 2023, https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3669129-bakhmut-update-border-guards-counterattack-eliminating-11-russian-invaders-downing-uav.html
3. “Why Russia Is So Determined To Capture Bakhmut” TIME, 7 Feb. 2023, https://time.com/6253515/bakhmut-battle-ukraine-russia
