In a significant shift in the ongoing conflict, Russian forces were reported on Friday to have retreated from their northern positions in the disputed city of Bakhmut, Ukraine. This occurrence is a result of a fresh initiative from the Ukrainian military, a move which Yevgeny Prigozhin, the commander of Russia's private Wagner army, has termed as chaotic.
Signs of Ukrainian advancements in the region south of Bakhmut have been observed in the past, and these latest events suggest a strategic Ukrainian plan to encircle Russian troops within the city. The city of Bakhmut has been the epicenter of the struggle, bearing the brunt of the fiercest warfare during the Moscow-led campaign.
According to Serhiy Cherevatyi, the Ukrainian forces' spokesperson for the eastern sector, they have recaptured 17.3 square kilometers (6.6 square miles) of land in Bakhmut within three days due to their counter-offensive operations. This announcement was made on the Telegram messaging service.
Both parties have been noting substantial Ukrainian advancements for the first time in six months. Despite this, Ukraine has been discreet about these developments and has dismissed the notion that a major counterattack has officially begun.
Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov has announced that Ukraine launched an assault north of Bakhmut, involving more than 1,000 soldiers and around 40 tanks. If these numbers are true, this could be the largest Ukrainian offensive since November.
Konashenkov also stated that Russian troops had managed to fend off 26 attacks, but one segment of the forces decided to withdraw to more strategic positions near the Berkhivka reservoir, northwest of Bakhmut.
Responding to Konashenkov's remarks, Prigozhin, who has been managing the Wagner forces' operations in the city, described the situation as chaotic rather than a tactical retreat.
In a separate video message, Prigozhin revealed that Ukrainian forces had seized a strategic vantage point overlooking Bakhmut and had cleared the main highway to the city from the West.
"The surrender of the Berkhivka reservoir means a loss of 5 square kilometers today," Prigozhin reported. He further pointed out that the Ukrainians had completely opened the Chasiv Yar-Bakhmut road, previously obstructed by Russian forces, and had taken control of a tactical vantage point over Bakhmut.
Two missiles reportedly hit an industrial complex in Luhansk, located in the Russian-controlled territory approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) behind the front. Internet video footage showed massive smoke plumes rising above the city. This attack occurred one day after the UK announced it was sending longer-range cruise missiles.
It seems that the Ukrainian initiative near Bakhmut commenced on Tuesday when a Ukrainian battalion to the southwest of the city announced that it had defeated a Russian brigade and reclaimed a considerable amount of territory. Prigozhin also confirmed that the Russian brigade had left the area.
In their Friday evening report, the Ukrainian military command discussed the combat in Bakhmut and the Russian shelling of nearby towns. However, there was no mention of any forward movement or Russian retreat.
Prigozhin, who has been engaged in a relentless effort to push Ukrainian forces out of the western fringes of Bakhmut, reported that the northern and southern fronts, defended by regular Russian troops, were showing signs of weakness. However, these assertions were denied by the Russian defence ministry.
In his nightly briefing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggested a shift in the mindset of the Russian soldiers. He noted that the Russian forces were "already internally prepared for defeat".
"They have already lost this war in their minds. We must put pressure on them every day so that their sense of defeat turns into their escape, their errors, their losses," Zelenskiy stated.
The Ukrainian push near Bakhmut could represent a major change in the trajectory of the conflict that has spanned over 15 months. For half a year, Kyiv maintained a defensive stance while Russia conducted a winter campaign that resulted in the most deadly ground warfare in Europe since the Second World War, albeit with little territorial acquisition.
Since the beginning of the year, Kyiv has been procuring new Western tanks and armored vehicles, storing them for a planned counteroffensive to reclaim occupied territories.
Ukrainian officials have downplayed the suggestion that their offensive has already started. In a recent interview, Zelenskiy stated that Kyiv needed more time for equipment to arrive. However, Prigozhin described Zelenskiy's comments as misleading and claimed that the advances in Bakhmut signaled the start of Kyiv's campaign.
Q&A Section:
Question: What recent development occurred in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine?
Answer: In a significant shift, Russian forces retreated from their positions in the disputed city of Bakhmut, Ukraine due to a new initiative from the Ukrainian military.
Question: Who is overseeing the Russian campaign in Bakhmut?
Answer: Yevgeny Prigozhin, the commander of Russia's private Wagner army, is overseeing the Russian campaign in Bakhmut.
Question: What has been the result of the Ukrainian counter-offensive operations in Bakhmut?
Answer: The Ukrainian counter-offensive operations have reportedly recaptured 17.3 square kilometers (6.6 square miles) of land in Bakhmut within three days.
Question: How did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy interpret the current state of Russian forces?
Answer: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggested that the Russian forces were "already internally prepared for defeat" and that they have "already lost this war in their minds".
Question: What has been Kyiv's strategy since the beginning of the year?
Answer: Since the start of the year, Kyiv has been procuring new Western tanks and armored vehicles, storing them for a planned counteroffensive to reclaim occupied territories.
