Ukraine’s military on Tuesday vowed to continue defending Bakhmut as Russian officials claim Russian forces now control nearly 90% of the eastern Donbas city.
Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, made the pledge while visiting troops on the frontlines in Bakhmut. “We will continue, despite all the forecasts and advice, to hold Bakhmut, destroying Wagner and other most combat-capable units of the Russian army,” he said.
After his trip to the frontline, Syrskyi said in a statement that “together with the commanders, we have made a number of necessary decisions aimed at ensuring the effective defense and inflicting maximum losses on the enemy.”
Syrskyi’s vow came as Russian officials continue to claim gains in Bakhmut and say Russian forces control nearly 90% of the city. “Today, on May 2, Wagner PMC units advanced up to 160 meters in various directions in the city of Bakhmut,” Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary outfit Wagner, wrote on Telegram Tuesday.
Prigozhin’s forces have not had an easy go of it fighting for Bakhmut, as the mercenary leader has been calling for more support and ammunition. On Monday, he said his forces were only receiving one-third of the ammunition he wanted.
Kyiv has been sending soldiers into Bakhmut, which has become known as the meatgrinder, with little training and ammunition. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said if he loses Bakhmut, he expects to be pressured to “compromise” with Russia, although Ukraine is expected to launch a counteroffensive soon.
Wagner has control of approx. 92% of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and disarmed a large number of NATO reserves and equipment. Its the heavily fortified high rise region called the Citadel. Wagner is currently flanking and surrounding the Citadel.
The only reason for holding onto the tiwn is the brand name. For as long as Kiev has any portion of town Bakhmut under control, for as long as it is technically eithin town limits — the months of saga can be portrayed as successful holding off Russian advance. In reality, it is no nore than a mop up operation. There is no hurry, for as long as Russia is noving forward on two broad fronts on both sides of Bakhmut. But optics are everything in an actor’s world.
That hold up in Bakhmut has a very important purpose that you will soon learn about.
Yes, to buy time for Kiev to burn as many incriminating documents as inhumanly possible.
Yes, the leftist julio here doesn’t want to admit that the Ukies have been torturing prisoners in Bakhmut. If the Ukies are captured there will be hell to pay. So he pretends instead that it’s a GENIUS PLAN to hold up Russian forces. Meanwhile Ukraine’s Western-trained and Western-armed forces in Bakhmut aren’t just held up – they’ve been killed. Genius move!
The post conflict war crimes trials will be very enlightening if anybody cares to know where there multi-billion dollar tax bill came from. It should get especially entertaining when they put the Yanks in the dock.
“Yes, the leftist julio here doesn’t want to admit that the Ukies have been torturing prisoners in Bakhmut.”
Both sides seem to have engaged in significant war crimes. That’s not only not unusual, it’s par for the course. So?
“Meanwhile Ukraine’s Western-trained and Western-armed forces in Bakhmut aren’t just held up – they’ve been killed.”
Someone might want to tell the Russian forces that. They’ve been trying to take the place since last August and are still convinced they face opposition. They might be relieved to hear that they don’t.
Both sides have engaged in accusations of war crimes. Here’s why I think the Russians haven’t, it’s patently in their interest to treat their POWs inhumanely and have them eventually returned to their families unscathed. Make your enemies your friends… And here is why I think the Ukrainians have abused both prisoners and civilians under their charge – they’re Nazis and that’s what Nazis do.
“And here is why I think”
Jury’s still out on that assertion. Evidence so far is pretty thin.
Your hair is pretty thin.
My hair is pretty non-existent.
I wouldn’t be surprised that some of it is still somewhere. But yeah, it seems to be an occupational hazard of aging.
I don’t know about that Thomas. The Ukrainian conscripts have every reason to commit atrocities against native Ukrainian soldiers from the Donbass. The rhetoric from Kiev tells me they would be quite happy to see all of the ethnic russian Ukrainians dead.
The territory of Ukraine is really two ethnic populations conjoined by politics. Just my view, but a divorce would have been a far better solution – for everyone – than what we have today.
During wars, all sides have abundant reasons to commit atrocities.
Ukraine, like most countries, is multiple ethnic populations conjoined by politics.
Don’t believe Putin’s peopaganda. There are very few Nazis in Ukraine. The ultra right party got less than 2% of the vote in 2019. Millions of Ukrainians fought the Nazis during World War II and millions of Ukrainians were killed by the Nazis, including 1.5 million Ukrainians in the Red Army. Almost every Ukrainian has family members who were killed fighting Nazis. And Zelenskyy is not someone the Nazis would follow.
2% are calling the shots in Kiev.
They have guns. They have virtually unlimited funding . They have positions of power AND they’re backed by the most hard core Nazi element of their American patrons. Putin doesn’t have to tell me they’re Nazis… They themselves proclaim it at the top of their lungs to cheering crowds of likeminded fascists.
You are believing Kremlin propaganda. The Nazi problem in Ukraine is exaggerated.
And you’re trading in Nazi propaganda.
I’ve confronted Nazis in the street and run them out of town. My friend from college was shot and left partially paralyzed at the 1979 Greensboro massacre. I’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with Holocaust survivors outside the smouldering ruins of a Nazi bookstore. My uncle died fighting the Nazis. My father and every other man in my family who was fit fought in World War II. What the hell have you done to fight Nazis?
Originally the Nazis called them selves “socialists.” That was bullshit.
Putin’s anti-Nazi propaganda is equally bullshit justification for a war of aggression.
Open your eyes and learn a little history of the relationship between Russia and Ukraine.
Most commendable but… What have you done lately?
Real Nazis – not the skin headed malcontents hiding in woods – but actual, got in at the ground floor, Nazis are on the march against Christendom and you’re siding with them.
Better WAKE UP before they come for you!
You must be Adolfo De Jesus.
They crucified him… He was Palestinian y’know.
Meanwhile,the SS had a Ukrainian division. Ukrainians served as death camp guards, and did the bashing at Baba Yar and other atrocity sites. Some Ukrainians did try to hide victims of Nazism.
Yeah, Ukraine has a Nazi problem and an anti-semitism problem. So does the U.S and so does Russia and every East European country. But the Nazis don’t control Ukraine. They hate Zelenskyy , his politics and his religion. Ironically, Putin’s stupid invasion is giving some Nazis the opportunity to pose as patriots. But the real Ukrainian patriots hate the Nazis.
Julio’s waiting for the next piece of positive spin to come out from the western media as to how Ukraine in about to unleash a massive counteroffensive and push the Russians back across the Russian border.
How did you figure it out? Wow, you got me. I need to leave the blog now.
I support Ukraine and do my best to objectively view the situation on the ground but it happens to be that Western media is often closer to that. The sh!t coming from the Kremlin is too delusional.
Spin the information like the Kremlin and deny the Russian atrocities against POWs.
Your stupid Red Mighty Army is getting crushed by 300 Ukies, that’s embarrassing, and soon more will come and you’ll be here talking excuses.
BTW, leftist? Really? Is that why I have become? You should’ve called me Nazi since I openly support Ukraine and that’s what you Kremlin supporters call us.
And haven’t you blocked me a few times already, why do you unblock me? Need someone to vent to? What an idiot you are.
Remember the Alamo.
After this is all over, Wagner will have a solid reputation as the best close assault tacticians on the planet.
https://media3.giphy.com/media/fbBNEQbLQdXKU/giphy.gif
Wow, and you even got likes for that ridiculous statement. After is all over, Wagner will be just a fart in the wind with many of their members in hiding for war crimes.
“Ukraine Vows It Won’t Give Up Bakhmut – Russian forces control the majority of the Donbas city”
There was a German corporal in the 1940s who issued similar fight to the last man edicts.
Zelensky is similar sending thousands to die for no good reason. I wonder if Zelensky knows that Russia is fighting a war of attrition?
Many of the Ukrainian army units are comprised of Russian Ukrainians so either way Zelensky wins.
“There was a German corporal in the 1940s who issued similar fight to the last man edicts.”
Considering what happened to German POWs in Soviet hands, he was right.
Stalin and Hitler were pretty much the same in the morality area.
German casualties are 147,200 killed and wounded and over 91,000 captured, the latter including Field Marshal Paulus, 24 generals and 2,500 officers of lesser rank.
However, if they had pulled back from Stalingrad and regrouped they would have survived as an army. The German 6th Army was ordered not to retreat by the little corporal. It was too late when the caldron closed.
Stalingrad was the Bakhmut of the 1940s only this time the little comedian just keeps sending in more and more young kids to be KIA.
This guy is no military leader and he is also morally bankrupt.
https://youtu.be/oua0Puihrkc
As Alexander Mercouris says on YouTube, this came after a period of peace between Prigozhin and Russian military commanders and authorities, brokered by Putin himself. Then Wagner had an unusually bad morning, and Prigozhin lashes out.
If they only had one third of the ammunition they need, they couldn’t have advanced like they do. Also, they are helped by the Russian army’s artillery, drones, planes, etc, and the Russian military fighting Ukrainian forces nearby, but Prigozhin always makes it sound like Wagner fight on their own.
To his credit, he is often on the ground with the soldiers. He speaks up for them and he gives a running account of the situation. But he is also volatile in his statements, and this latest one definitely seems like it’s part of an internal spat.
By the way, Prigozhin is not a military commander. He has no military training, he is not Wagner’s commander. And we don’t know exactly how Wagner is owned – it is likely much closer to the Russian military than what has been revealed. but many Russian bloggers, and some media, make it sound like Prigozhin would be a commander.
I like Prigozhin, he’s like if Putin turned into The Incredible Hulk.
It was 80% a few weeks ago and now it’s 90%.
Wipe away all the bluster and it’s obvious that the fall is inevitable and the only question is how bad those that remain want to die.
Your wording is unfortunate. I consider it unlikely that of Z’s troops in Bakhmut want to remain there.
From a military standpoint, it might be good to use the troops in Bakhmut to “fix” the Russian troops in place so that they can’t be used elsewhere. But I think this has a lot more to do with Zelensky’s ego than anything else.
Isn’t “fix (ing)” troops in place more of a concern to the side with limited resources?
Similar to what Putin did early to split Ukraine forces up and make them fight fixed in place while he advanced?
Ukraine can barely keep going and they better negotiate before they collapse.
Collapses are rapid and will result with massive territory loss for Ukraine.
That is the future if Ukraine don’t start negotiations.
Let’s make a bet on who will collapse first. I got my money on Russia completely failing to achieve Putin’s personal goals in Ukraine and you’ll have to change your blog name.
No loony; I won’t do that to you.
Go play with someone else.
I don’t plan on entertaining those less “fortunate” (I’ll be kind) today.
I think you’re making a generalization. Ukraine can be weak in one location and strong in another. So, it makes sense to me that Ukraine would want to keep 15,000 Russia Troops tied up in Bakhmut while they launch their main offensive in Zaporizhzhia (or something similar).
Ukraine does not have an unlimited supply of troops little alone experienced troops.
To devote those troops to “tie up” someone who does not suffer from those issues and can increase the supply of troops at will ( a 4 star US general testified last Friday Russia’s military is not degrading which contradicts the liars on TV) is not happening unless the Ukrainians are complete fools.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to use the troops in Bakhmut to tie up Russian troops there. But Zelensky made the decision to keep them there. They will all very likely be killed within a week. Using them to fix the Russian troops there is the only thing that makes sense to me.
It is a strategic transit point that Ukraine really needs to hold or prevent Russia from controlling completely as they are still doing right now, is my guess for the main point of Ukraine’s refusal to withdraw but the reasons you share are always considerations too.
By the time you see this, it will probably be front page news. Wagner has announced that it will pull all of its forces out of Bakhmut.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-mercenary-chief-prigozhin-says-his-forces-will-leave-bakhmut-next-week-2023-05-05/
If you notice they are pulling out to be replaced with regular Russian troops to occupy.
Isn’t that just a sign the battle is over if those who are doing the fighting are being replaced by an occupation force of regular troops?
And fixing in place how many of the 300,000 waiting in the wings? I think not many.
After eight months of battle, Russia failed to complete the encirclement of the Ukrainian garrison in Bakhmut and the so-called Russian winter offensive stalled there.
Prigozhin reminds me of the American generals and political leaders pointing fingers to blame each other when the US couldn’t defeat asmaller country in Vietnam.After Prigozhin’s complaints Putin fired another general last week when he sacked Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, the Deputy Defense Minister in charge of Logistics. . So the “Butcher of Mariupol” now becomes the “Scapegoat of Bakhmut.” But the inescapable reality is that Russia lost this war months ago. Not because of bad generals, but because it was a bad war.
Eventually, Russia may overpower the Ukrainian army. But the Russians will never be able to pacify any part of Ukraine except perhaps Crimea. Eventually Russia will have to get a leadership with the courage to withdraw from the rest of Ukraine, including Donbas.
It is tragic that Putin can’t understand that he led Russia to a humiliating defeat in Ukraine.
Alexander Mercouris has gotten you drinking his Kool Aid and repeating BS here. It goes to show how uninformed and biased you are towards the Kremlin.
BTW, it is Prigozhin running the show on the ground. He is calling the shots.
And we might not know for with certain who owns it but we do know who founded it; and that is Dmitry Utkin, a self declared (with Nazi tattoos) Nazi who was seen next to Putin in a photo on 2016 at a celebration in the Kremlin.
I get the feeling that there will not be many buildings left standing in Bakhmut when this is over.
There are reports of Ukraine destroying key building and booby-trapping others in the areas of Bakhmut that are not already under Russian control. If these reports are accurate, Ukraine has probably already decided to pull out within the next few days. So, whether they stay or leave, I have the same feeling.
Interesting article about the potential change of narrative in the Kremlin and throughout the Russian propaganda enterprise if the Ukrainian counteroffensive is successful and other setbacks take place.
I guess will be reading those here as well from the Russian propaganda repeaters here.
https://us.yahoo.com/news/putin-grooms-russians-defeat-leaked-170943643.html
I also read that the Kremlin may create a domestic level disaster in order to have an excuse to pull troops out of Ukraine to support the ’emergency’ and avoid embarrassment for not achieving victory in Ukraine.
But this may all be Western propaganda just like when they falsely claimed Russia was getting ready to invade Ukraine last year.
Read a lot of fiction, do you?..
“I also read that the Kremlin may create a domestic level disaster”
Funny how you “forget” that it’s the criminal dictator in Kiev who has been shelling the NUCLEAR POWER PLANT in the south, and who orders his criminals to murder civilians in Donetsk with artillery. He got depleted uranium shells from the U.S. Maybe time for you to read up on what that is. It’s a way to poison the land and spread lung cancer and deformities among the population, like in Kosovo and Iraq.
And Zelensky sent murderers to a Russia town, led by the Banderas-fan calling himself “white wolf,” to kill civilians and keep others hostage when retreating. Nothing but a terrorist attack. The “white wolf’s” political statements on the internet became an embarrassment for Zelensky, though.
But leftists always lie. So you pretend that it’s Russia that creates a “disaster”.
Kremlin BS repeater.
You tell em, Donny! The Ruskies are shelling the nuke plant they’re occupying just like when they blew up their own pipeline… It’s just what they do!
You can’t fix The Stupid.
It is a Donbas city. The article states that. Therefore, it is in the area that Russia went into Ukraine to protect. No way Ukraine will retake what has been lost.
A couple of weeks ago it was 80% taken and now it’s 90%.
Slow but inevitable.
That 10% is in the burbs so it’s more those who refuse to go than a strategic decision to remain.
I know the Biden/NATO keep repeating the lies that we are just waiting for that Spring offensive to push Putin back to Moscow but all we are seeing a feeble 2 drone attack today that Putin is trying to claim was directed at him personally.
Russia media has to be having fun getting people riled up today; can you imagine how CNN would be playing up something like this? Russia’s version has to be crazy today.