The Russian army is in a position to attack the only road that Ukraine can use to resupply troops in the strategic city of Bakhmut.
Yan Gagin, a military expert and adviser to the acting leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushiln, said Russia attacked the supply convoys of the Ukrainian army near the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. The Russian army is deploying troops to attack the only road that Kyiv can use to resupply troops in Bakhmut.
Speaking on Russian television on January 31, Gagin said it was only a matter of time before the road was “fully controlled”, paving the way for the capture of the city, which he described as “within the ring”. special forces siege”.
“Bakhmut is under siege and our forces are closing in on the city. Fighting is going on for control of the highway linking Bakhmut with Chasov Yar as this is the only road that Ukraine can use to continue to advance. support their troops in Bakhmut,” Gagin added.
The Russian military has made some progress near Bakhmut in recent weeks. After intense fighting in mid-January, Russian forces took control of the city of Soledar, located just northeast of Bakhmut.
However, Mr. Pushilin warned the media not to overstate the importance of Bakhmut or any other region to the outcome of the military operation. He said in an interview on January 30 that the Ukrainian side has attached symbolic value to Bakhmut, just as they did with Soledar before.
“We see this as the story of a small city that is marketed as invincible. But a lot of Ukrainian soldiers died here,” Mr. Pushilin said.
Mr. Pushilin conceded that Bakhmut has strategic value because controlling the city will allow forces to advance further. However, he said that the loss of other towns and cities caused damage on a similar scale.
Vitaly Kiselev, a military expert from the Lugansk separatist militia, said on January 31 that fierce fighting continued in the city of Bakhmut. He said a pincer position was being formed after Russian forces approached Chasov Yar.
“The goal of this position is to destroy the artillery, weapons, and troops of the Ukrainian army sent to reinforce Bakhmut from Chasov Yar, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk. Besides, the pincer position will also disrupt the battle. , proceed to cut off the supply line for Bakhmut,” Kiselev added.
Kiselev confirmed that soldiers from Wagner’s private military force are also taking part in the fighting on the Bakhmut front. This force is now close to the arterial road connecting Chasov Yar with Bakhmut. Cutting off this route is being considered a key task of the Russian and allied armies because it is the main supply route for ammunition, weapons, food, and medicine for Bakhmut.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has not yet commented on the above information. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and many senior officials of Kyiv have repeatedly affirmed that the Ukrainian defense forces in Bakhmut will try to hold the battleground.
