Russia's Grinding Bakhmut Advance a 'Symbol' of Offensive Inability: Kyiv
NewsweekFeb 12, 2023
Ukraine is sending hundreds of new troops to the Donetsk city of Bakhmut every day in what has been the fiercest battle of the war so far, Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, said via Telegram on Tuesday.
"Bakhmut will not be taken tomorrow, because there is very strong resistance," Prigozhin said. "In all directions, the enemy is becoming more active and bringing in ever more reserves," he continued, claiming that between 300 and 500 troops were being deployed and artillery fire intensifying "every day."
Russia's inability to take the Donetsk city of Bakhmut is symbolic of the wider deficiencies that will prevent it from conducting further successful offensives in Ukraine.
Russian forces are continuing to make advances in Donetsk. It's only a matter of time before Moscow's forces take the city of Bakhmut and the remainder of the Donetsk region.
There is a 2% chance that Ukraine will officially recognize a former Ukrainian territory (Luhansk, Donetsk or Crimea) as independent before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.