Fierce Battle in Ukraine’s Bakhmut for Control of the City

A fierce battle is taking place Saturday in Ukraine’s city of Bakhmut in Donbas as Russian forces try to gain control.

Thousands of Russian troops have died trying to take Bakhmut, which had a pre-war population of around 75,000. Ukrainian commanders estimate that Russia has lost seven times as many soldiers as they have.

Now, after fierce shelling, Russian forces and troops from the Wagner private army appear to have surrounded much of Bakhmut.

Ukrainian Commander of Eastern Forces Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi visited troops in Bakhmut today, proving there’s still a road into the city. He said Russians increasing forces, including units of Wagner & regular army. “Intense fighting in and around the city.” via Land Forces pic.twitter.com/vbG7MTd83k

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 3, 2023

On Saturday, UK military intelligence said Russian advances in the northern suburbs have left the Ukraine-held section of the city vulnerable to Russian attacks on three sides.

Street fighting in Bakhmut, Ukraine

The deputy mayor of Bakhmut has spoken of the situation in the city saying there is fighting in the streets. Oleksandr Marchenko told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:

“There is fighting in the city and there are also street fights but thanks to the Ukrainian armed forces they still haven’t taken control over the city.

Referring to the Russian attack he said that “Their only goal is killing people and the genocide of the Ukrainian people…the tactic that the Russians are using is the tactic of parched land.

They want to destroy Bakhmut, they want to destroy the city…and I honestly can’t understand why they’re doing this.”