Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Battle of Bakhmut" in English language version.
Russia's slow advance on Bakhmut began back in July 2022, after the fall of nearby Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast.
"Look up 'Pyrrhic victory,'" said Ben Barry, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a research group based in London. "A victory which imposes such casualties on the side that supposedly wins the battle that it actually doesn't help them achieve their strategic ends." This is most likely what Russia has achieved in Bakhmut, Mr. Barry said, though he cautioned that there were many unknowns, including the possibility that Russia had reserved its more elite, well-prepared units for additional offensive operations along the sprawling eastern front. Ultimately, though, few significant changes on the battlefield should be expected immediately, Mr. Barry and other experts said.
Росія активно штурмує Бахмут та населені пункти на підступах до нього з липня 2022 року (Russia has been actively storming Bakhmut and the settlements on the approaches to it since July 2022).
"Our forces have taken the city in a semi-encirclement, which gives us the opportunity to destroy the enemy ... the enemy has to defend himself in the part of the city he controls," Maliar said on Telegram.
Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday his Wagner fighters had completed the capture of Bakhmut, but Ukraine rejected the claim and said fighting was still going on.
Heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical. At the same time, our troops maintain defense in the "Litak" area. As of now, our defenders control certain industrial and infrastructure facilities of this area and the private sector.
Samolet [Litak] area
Ukrainian and Russian forces have been fighting in the Bakhmut area since at least May.
since the Battle of Bakhmut began in July 2022.
Russian forces . . . began launching localized attacks southeast and east of Bakhmut in May 2022.
Russian milbloggers reiterated claims that Russian forces advanced southwest of Bakhmut, taking Andriivka, Ozarianivka, and Zelenopillia (13km south of Bakhmut)
A Russian milblogger also claimed that Russian forces made progress in Opytne (4km south of Bakhmut) and began a ground attack on Klishchiivka (7km southwest of Bakhmut) on November 29
Russian forces continued to make limited gains around Bakhmut amid reports of heavy fighting in the area on November 29. Geolocated footage posted on November 29 shows that Russian forces advanced on the southeastern outskirts of Bakhmut.
ISW has not observed geolocated footage confirming Prigozhin's claims as of this publication. Ukrainian officials reported that Ukrainian forces are still fighting in a small section of southwest Bakhmut as of May 20.
Ukrainian military officials reported that Ukrainian forces control an "insignificant" part of southwestern Bakhmut City around the T0504 highway — a tacit acknowledgement that Russian forces have secured the rest of western and northwestern Bakhmut, if not all of it. These officials' statements indicate that Ukrainian forces withdrew from the remaining areas in Bakhmut except those adjacent to the two highways into the city.
Geolocated footage published on May 21 shows that Wagner forces advanced towards the T0504 entrance to southwestern Bakhmut.
The Ukrainian General Staff did not report fighting in Bakhmut City in its 1800 situational report for the first time since December 2022 [...] Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar stated that combat operations have decreased in and around Bakhmut and reiterated that Ukrainian forces maintain positions in a fortified area near the MiG-17 monument in western Bakhmut. A milblogger amplified video footage purportedly showing Wagner forces near the MiG-17 monument and claimed that there are no Ukrainian forces in the area, however.
Russian milbloggers reiterated claims that Russian forces advanced southwest of Bakhmut, taking Andriivka, Ozarianivka, and Zelenopillia (13km south of Bakhmut)
A Russian milblogger also claimed that Russian forces made progress in Opytne (4km south of Bakhmut) and began a ground attack on Klishchiivka (7km southwest of Bakhmut) on November 29
Russian forces continued to make limited gains around Bakhmut amid reports of heavy fighting in the area on November 29. Geolocated footage posted on November 29 shows that Russian forces advanced on the southeastern outskirts of Bakhmut.
Heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical. At the same time, our troops maintain defense in the "Litak" area. As of now, our defenders control certain industrial and infrastructure facilities of this area and the private sector.
Samolet [Litak] area
"Look up 'Pyrrhic victory,'" said Ben Barry, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a research group based in London. "A victory which imposes such casualties on the side that supposedly wins the battle that it actually doesn't help them achieve their strategic ends." This is most likely what Russia has achieved in Bakhmut, Mr. Barry said, though he cautioned that there were many unknowns, including the possibility that Russia had reserved its more elite, well-prepared units for additional offensive operations along the sprawling eastern front. Ultimately, though, few significant changes on the battlefield should be expected immediately, Mr. Barry and other experts said.
