Ukraine war
London: Russian attack near Bachmut halts
Ukrainian soldiers ride on an armored vehicle on the front line. The city of Bachmut has been heavily fought over for months. photo
© LIBKOS/AP
Considerable losses and a tense situation with the Wagner group: According to London, the Russian attack in Bachmut largely came to a standstill. The focus is now apparently on a different front section.
According to British intelligence services, the Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut has largely come to a standstill. “This is probably primarily a result of the significant losses suffered by Russian forces,” the British Ministry of Defense said on Saturday.
“The Russians’ situation is also likely to have worsened due to tensions between the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Wagner Group, both of which are deploying units to this sector of the front.” The Ukraine also suffered heavy losses in the month-long battle for Bakhmut, it was emphasized in London.
Meanwhile, Bakhmut’s defenders are consolidating their positions, said Ukrainian Army Commander-in-Chief Valery Zalushny. “Thanks to the titanic efforts of the defensive forces, the situation has been stabilized,” said Zalushnyj on his Facebook account after a phone call with his British counterpart Tony Radakin on Saturday night. The section around Bachmut is still one of the most difficult front sections.
London: Russian troops deploy more defensively
Russia is now focusing more on the city of Avdiivka further south and on the section of the front near Kreminna and Svatowe north of Bakhmut, sources in London said. There the Russians wanted to stabilize the front line. This indicates that Russian troops are generally becoming more defensive after attempts at a major offensive have failed to produce “conclusive results” since January.
The British Ministry of Defense has been issuing daily updates on the course of the war since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022, citing intelligence information. In doing so, the British government wants to both counter the Russian portrayal and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.