Despite constant Russian attacks, Ukraine clings on in Bakhmut

Ukrainian forces were hanging onto their positions in the country's devastated eastern city of Bakhmut amid relentless attacks as Russian troops looking forward claiming their first major victory for more than half a year.

Moscow says seizing the salt-mining town of Bakhmut, now the site of the longest and bloodiest battle since Russia invaded its neighbour on 24 February 2022, would put it on a path to securing full control of the rest of the strategic Donbas industrial region, one of its main objectives.

Ukraine says Bakhmut has limited strategic value but has nevertheless put up fierce resistance.

“Heavy battles are ongoing for our Bakhmut,” said Oleksiy Reva, the head of the city’s military administration.

Only 4,500 people remain in Bakhmukt, , which once had a population of about 70 thousands.

A statement on Wednesday night by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said the Russians were attempting to advance on Bakhmut “without interruption” and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his forces “are keeping each sector of the front under control”.

Not everyone in Ukraine is convinced that Ukraine can continue to defend the city.

“I believe that sooner or later, we will probably have to leave Bakhmut. There is no sense in holding it at any cost…,” Ukrainian member of parliament Serhiy Rakhmanin said on Ukrainian NV radio on Wednesday night.

“But for the moment, Bakhmut will be defended with several aims – firstly, to inflict as many Russian losses as possible and make Russia use its ammunition and resources.”

Lines of defence should not be allowed to collapse, Rakhmanin said.

“There are two ways to approach this – an organised retreat or simple flight. And we cannot allow flight to take place under any circumstances,” he said.

The battle for Bakhmut began about seven months ago, but in recent weeks Russian advances have left defenders fighting on three sides, with their only way out to the west.

The Ukrainian military’s statement also said that Russian forces were making preparations for new attacks in the central Zaporizhia region and on the southern front in the Kherson region.

More than 40 towns and villages had been shelled, it said, including the regional centre of Kherson and other towns on the west bank of the Dnipro River, abandoned by Russian forces in November.