Tens of thousands have died fighting for a city with little strategic value. Why?
Diplomatic correspondent in KyivFor more than seven long months, this small industrial city in eastern Ukraine has been pounded by Russian forces.
Military analysts say Bakhmut has little strategic value. It is not a garrison town or a transport hub or a major centre of population. Before the invasion, there were about 70,000 people living there. The city was best known for its salt and gypsum mines and huge winery. It holds no particular geographic importance. As one Western official put it, Bakhmut is "one small tactical event on a 1,200-kilometre front line".
So Russia needs a success to sell to pro-Kremlin propagandists back home. Serhii Kuzan, chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Co-operation Centre, told the BBC: "They are fighting a political mission, not a purely military one. Russians will continue to sacrifice thousands of lives to achieve their political goals."
. There is, Mr Kuzan said, a political struggle between both men for influence in the Kremlin "and the place for this struggle is in Bakhmut and its surroundings".Few civilians remain in Bakhmut, which was once home to about 70,000 peopleThe main strategic purpose is to use the battle to weaken Russia's army. One Western official put it bluntly: "Bakhmut, because of the Russian tactics, is giving Ukraine a unique opportunity to kill a lot of Russians.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Bakhmut will show if Ukraine or Russia is winning the war - but at what cost?The battle for Bakhmut has been described as the 'meat grinder' with Ukrainian soldiers seeing Russians stepping over their dead comrades as they push forward, often to their own deaths.
Weiterlesen »
Bakhmut drains Russia of men and ammunition as Ukraine prepare offensive, say Western officialsRussia is running out of prisoners to send Wagner Group as the private army hired by Vladimir Putin continues to suffer high casualty numbers in the fierce fighting around Bakhmut, western officials believe DavidParsley50 reports:
Weiterlesen »
Ukraine war: Bakhmut defenders double down - ZelenskyThe president says the embattled eastern city's defence goes on, and that senior generals back the move.
Weiterlesen »