The eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut is slowly being approached by Russian troops who are bombarding it with artillery.
While most of the recent fighting has taken place in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, the conflict escalating near Bakhmut shows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desire for apparent victories after weeks of obvious failures.
By seizing Bakhmut, Russian forces would have access to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two important Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk province, while also cutting off Ukraine’s supply lines. Parts of Donetsk and the neighbouring province of Luhansk have been under the hands of pro-Moscow rebels since 2014.
Assed Baig of Al Jazeera reported from Bakhmut on Friday that there was a “exchange of fire” going on between the Russians and the Ukrainians.
Despite modest progress, the Russians are still outside of Bakhmut, according to Baig. “The Ukrainians claim to have successfully repelled the attacks.”
The assault is reportedly being led by mercenaries from a Russian military outfit called the Wagner Group.
Putin acknowledged the independence of the self-declared republics supported by Russian forces before Russia invaded Ukraine in full on February 24. Russia illegally seized Donetsk, Luhansk, and two additional provinces that were partly or entirely controlled by Russian soldiers last month.
