Commander Madyar stated that the city of Bakhmut will hold.

Commander Madyar stated that the city of Bakhmut will hold.

The stubborn Ukrainian defence of Bakhmut itself, despite the cost in Ukrainian lives and materiel, would prevent Putin from even claiming that Russia has secured that city on the war’s anniversary.

A senior U.S. military official described Russia's new offensive as likely more aspirational than realistic.

Prigozhin said his troops had no serious chance of capturing the fortress city of Bakhmut, as Ukrainian assault infantry launched limited counterattacks.

The conditions for encircling the enemy in the northern regions [around Bakhmut] do not exist.

Bakhmut is the direction of the enemy's main attack on the eastern front. The enemy is concentrating its main efforts here.