War’s longest battle exacts high price in ‘heart of Ukraine’
Associated PressFeb 01, 2023
Pro-Russia officials from the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) claimed on Wednesday that their forces have largely encircled the Donetsk city of Bakhmut, which is referred to as Artyomovsk in Russian.
"Artyomovsk is currently in an operational encirclement and our forces are closing in on the city," Yan Gagin, an adviser to the head of the DPR, told Russian television on Wednesday. "Fighting is underway to control the highway connecting Artyomovsk with Chasiv Yar because it is the only route that Ukraine can use to provide supplies to its troops in Artyomovsk."
In attempting to take Bakhmut, Russian forces have used scorched earth tactics and turned the once-popular tourist destination into a hell-on-earth. The Kremlin is so hungry for any success that it's willing to go to any length to take the city — even if it's been turned to rubble.
If Russian forces take control of Bakhmut, it would be a devastating loss for Ukraine. Not only has Ukraine lost hundreds of troops in trying to retain the city, but this operation would also enable Russia to continue its advance into key areas of Donetsk including Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.
There is a 3% chance that the regions surrounding the Dnipro River (Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson) will be under Russian control by June 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.