A Ukrainian commander explained why Kyiv wants to keep Bakhmut
We need to buy time to build up reserves and start the spring counter-offensive which is just around the corner
The commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, believes that Bakhmut’s detention is helping Kyiv authorities buy time.
“We need to buy time to build up reserves and start the spring counteroffensive, which is just around the corner,” Sirski said. His words were quoted in the Telegram channel of the Ground Forces of Ukraine.
Earlier, the commander-in-chief of Ukrainian troops, Valery Zaluzhny, announced the continuation of the defensive operation and further strengthening of Ukrainian positions in Bakhmut.
At the same time, two Ukrainian security officials earlier reported that their units had been ordered to leave Bakhmut – a commander with the call sign “Magyar” and former Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yury Lutsenko, now commander of an attack drone platoon.
In addition, Sergei Rakhmanin, a member of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said that the situation in Bakhmut is critical.
At the beginning of March, the German newspaper Bild, citing sources, reported that the situation around Bakhmut has caused disagreements between Volodymyr Zelensky and Valery Zaluzhny, who even a few weeks ago called to think about withdrawing from this city.
Earlier, one of the Ukrainian militaries complained to the American television channel CNN that the situation in Bakhmut for Kyiv in all directions is much worse than it is said officially. Bloomberg also reported that the Russian military gaining control of Bakhmut would be a step toward liberating the entire Donetsk People’s Republic.
Artyomovsk is located in the Kyiv-controlled part of the DPR, north of the large city of Horlivka, and is an important transport hub for supplying the Ukrainian troop group in Donbas.
