Ukraine is concentrating its attacks on the outskirts of Bakhmut to surround Russian troops in the city

2023-05-22 10:12:44

Experts of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) confirm the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Bakhmut and the concentration of their attacks in the vicinity of the city, which may lead to the encirclement of Russian forces.

“The likely capture of the last small area of ​​western Bakhmut by the Wagner group does not affect the continuation of Ukrainian counterattacks north or south of the city, nor does it affect Ukrainian control over the land lines of communication around Bakhmut, which are needed by the exhausted Wagner forces,” it is noted. in ISW reports.

Experts of the institute called the recognition of the Ukrainian military about their control of an “insignificant” part of the southwestern districts of Bakhmut “an unspoken confirmation that Russian forces have captured the rest of the territory, if not the entire city, with the exception of the areas adjacent to two highways.”

At the same time, the report notes that the Wagnerians, weakened by the fighting for the city, are unlikely to be able to continue the offensive beyond Bakhmut.

“Russian forces will probably need additional reinforcements to hold the city of Bakhmut and its flanks at the expense of actions in other directions,” – write experts of the Institute for the Study of War.

The Institute for the Study of War considers it unlikely that Russian troops will be able, as reported by the Russian media, to capture Slavyansk (41 kilometers from the city), Kramatorsk (35 km) and the city of Dnipro (215 km away) after Bakhmut.

General Staff of Ukraine: battles for Bakhmut continue

Speaker of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Stupun informedthat the Russians continue their offensive in the direction of Bakhmut.

“During the past few days, the enemy unsuccessfully tried to restore lost positions south of the settlement of Ivanovskoye. In addition, he led offensive actions in the direction of Grigoravka, without success. It carried out airstrikes in the Bakhmut and Ivanovo regions,” the spokesman of the General Staff of Ukraine clarified.

The day before, the commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky admitted that Ukrainian forces control an “insignificant” part of Bakhmut.

“We continue to advance on the flanks in the vicinity of Bakhmut and are actually approaching the tactical encirclement of the city. Thanks to this, we will be able to control all the “high-rises” occupied by the enemy and gradually destroy them. This deprives the enemy of control over the approaches to the city and gives us tactical advantages.” stated Ukrainian general-colonel.

British intelligence: Russia is creating an elite air unit to strengthen its forces in Ukraine

U scouts The Ministry of Defense of Great Britain reported that Russia is creating an elite assault air group under the code name “Storm” to increase air attacks on Ukraine.

According to British scouts, the unit will consist of Su-24 and Su-34 fighters, as well as a squadron of attack helicopters.

“The combination of aircraft types indicates that the group will play a primary role in ground attack missions,” the intelligence report said.

For the formation of a new aviation unit in Russia, large salaries were announced and retired pilots were called to join it.

Russia’s war against Ukraine

• At 5:00 a.m. on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a military operation against Ukraine in the Donbass at the request of the “DPR” and “LPR” groups. On February 21, during a televised address to Russians, Putin called the so-called “DPR” and “LPR” independent states within the regions. On February 22, the Federation Council ratified this decision.
• Russian troops attacked, including from the territory of Belarus, using airfields, bases and roads. Representatives of Lukashenka’s regime justify the war, his opponents consider the territory of Belarus to be occupied, many call for resistance to the Russian invaders.
• In 2022, 19 Belarusians were killed in Ukraine fighting for its independence. It is known about two Belarusian soldiers who were captured by the Russians.
• On March 30, the UN approved the composition of an independent commission that will investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine. It included people who worked in the analysis of the genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Contrary to Putin’s statements about attacks only on military facilities, the Russians are bombing schools, kindergartens and residential areas of Ukrainian cities. The Russians are using banned weapons, including cluster bombs, against civilians.
• On April 2, after the liberation of the town of Bucha near Kyiv, photojournalists published dozens of photographs showing hundreds of dead people, victims of mass murders committed by Russian troops. Many are buried in spontaneous mass graves. The Russian occupation also brought great destruction to the people of Barodyan. It is also known about a number of rapes, including babies.
• On May 9, the US President signed the Land Leasing Law. This law restores the program from the Second World War, which will speed up the supply of weapons to Ukraine and increase the amount of such assistance.
• On July 29, as a result of an attack on the colony in Alenivka, at least 53 Ukrainian prisoners who defended the “Azovstal” plant in Mariupol and surrendered after completing their combat mission were killed. The Russians accused Ukraine of the attack, the Ukrainian side declared the deliberate killing of prisoners by the Russian side. The Russian occupation authorities prevented the UN and Red Cross missions from entering Alenavka.
• During the six months of the war, Russia was able to occupy about 20% of the Ukrainian territory. In March, the area of ​​occupied land reached 30%. However, at the end of the month, Russian troops retreated from the north of Ukraine, as well as from most of the Kharkiv region. At the end of August, Crimea, Luhansk and Kherson regions were completely occupied. And also 50% of the territory of the Donetsk region, about 70% of the Zaporizhia region, approximately 30% of the Kharkiv region.
• Since February 24, Russia has captured only one regional center – Kherson. Russian troops retreated from it and from the right-bank part of the Kherson region in November 2022. The city was occupied by Russian troops in the first days of the war without actually fighting. Kyiv suspects part of the former leadership of Kherson and the region of treason. The former head of the SBU of the Kharkiv region was also detained on such suspicion.
• In September, Ukrainian troops launched a large-scale counteroffensive, as a result of which Russian forces began to rapidly flee from their positions in the Kharkiv region.
• On September 21, Putin announced the mobilization in Russia. After this statement, thousands of Russians went to the border crossings and began to leave for Georgia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Mongolia, Finland and other countries. In Russia itself, opponents of the war set fire to several military units. Even people without military experience began to be conscripted into the army, despite promises that only experienced ones would go to war. The mobilization of men into the Russian army also takes place in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
• On October 2, Putin submitted a bill to the Russian parliament, which is an attempt to annex parts of four regions of Ukraine. Two new republics – “LPR” and “DNR” – and two regions – Zaporizhia and Kherson will be part of Russia. But thanks to the counteroffensive of the Ukrainians, the borders drawn in Moscow are not fully controlled by the occupying forces.
• In October, Ukrainian troops successfully continued their counteroffensive, at the beginning of October they liberated Liman and Yampal, as well as significantly approached Svatov in the Luhansk region, and from there the way to Severodanetsk and Lysichansk opens.
• On the morning of October 10, the Russians began intensive shelling of Ukrainian territory, including the center of Kyiv. Rockets also reached Lviv, depriving the city of electricity. Since then, Russia has carried out about 10 missile attacks on infrastructure facilities and other civilian targets on the territory of Ukraine.
• On October 10, Lukashenka held a meeting with the Security Council and announced the deployment of a joint grouping of troops with Putin.
• On the evening of November 15, Russia fired 100 missiles across the territory of Ukraine, primarily at energy facilities, and in Poland, two missiles fell in the village of Przewodau, 6 km from the border with Ukraine, killing two people. The Polish authorities summoned the Russian ambassador for explanations. Then it turned out that this was probably the result of the work of the Ukrainian Air Force, which shot down a Russian missile.
• In November, with the onset of cold weather, Russia intensified its missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. As a result, many Ukrainian cities and part of Moldova were left without electricity and water. Ukraine called an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
• On January 1, 2023, the Department of Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the death of almost 400 Russians during the attack on the building of the Polytechnic School No. 19 in Makeyevka. Russian soldiers were there and mobilized. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation recognized 89 killed.
• On January 14, 2023, as a result of another shelling, a Russian missile hit a high-rise building in the city of Dnipro, killing and injuring dozens of people. The rescue operation to find the bodies stretched for several days.
• In February, they take place for Bakhmut, Kramyannaya, Svatava. However, US intelligence noted that the Russians do not have enough potential for a full-scale offensive, and the British Ministry of Defense said that the Russians suffered the biggest losses in the year in the first half of February.
• On March 25, Putin noted that the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons will be completed in Belarus on July 1.
• Independent verification of information about military actions provided by officials of various parties is still impossible.