Ukrainian servicemen fire a 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia鈥檚 attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 5, 2023. REUTERS
KYIV 鈥� Ukraine鈥檚 top military commanders have vowed to keep defending the besieged city of Bakhmut, where Russia is hoping to make its first major wartime gain in more than half a year, and will strengthen their defenses, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Amidst some of the bloodiest fighting of the more than one-year long invasion, Moscow says capturing the city would be a step towards its major objective of seizing the full territory of the surrounding Donbas region.
The General Staff of Ukraine鈥檚 armed forces late on Monday reported that the city and surrounding areas were under 鈥渃onstant attacks鈥� as 鈥渢he enemy takes no account of losses.鈥�
After Russian gains in recent weeks, at the culmination of a winter offensive, Ukrainian troops have been reinforcing positions west of Bakhmut in apparent preparation for a possible retreat.
However, late on Monday, Zelensky said that at a meeting of top military officials he had asked the commander of the regional grouping and Ukraine鈥檚 commander in chief how they proposed to proceed.
鈥淏oth generals responded not to withdraw but to strengthen (our defenses),鈥� he said in his nightly address.
鈥淚 told the commander in chief to find the appropriate forces to help our guys in Bakhmut.鈥�
The intense battle has depleted both sides鈥� artillery reserves, with thousands of shells fired daily along the eastern and southern fronts. Kyiv鈥檚 European allies are working on a deal to procure more ammunition for the fight.
The head of Russia鈥檚 Wagner mercenary force, which is leading the Bakhmut assault, said on Monday he needed the regular army to supply him with more ammunition, reinforcements and covering support if he was to win the battle.
The appeal from Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin came amid signs of a deepening rift between him and the Russian defence ministry whom he has bitterly criticised for months and accused of deliberately starving his men of ammunition, an allegation it has rejected.
鈥淚鈥檓 knocking on all doors and sounding the alarm about ammunition and reinforcements, as well as the need to cover our flanks,鈥� he said in a statement released by his press service.
鈥淚f everyone is coordinated, without ambition, screw-ups and tantrums, and carries out this work, then we will block the armed forces of Ukraine. If not, then everyone will be screwed.鈥�
There was no immediate response from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
Separately, Reuters reported Kyiv has broadened a request for controversial cluster bombs from the United States to include a weapon that it wants to cannibalize to drop the anti-armor bomblets it contains on Russian forces from drones, according to two U.S. lawmakers.
A National Security Council spokesperson said that while Ukraine and the White House 鈥渃losely coordinate鈥� on military aid, she had no 鈥渘ew capabilities to announce.鈥�
Bakhmut more symbolic than strategic, says US
After losing ground during the second half of 2022, Russia launched a winter offensive of intense trench warfare, making use of hundreds of thousands of reservists called up late last year.
Russia鈥檚 offensive has produced no notable gains, failing to seize ground in Luhansk province further north and taking heavy losses in particular around Vuhledar to the south.
Ukraine has focused mainly on defence for the last three months, trying to inflict high casualties while preparing for a counter-offensive when new weapons arrive and the muddy ground dries out.
Speaking to reporters in the Middle East on Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he would not predict when or if Ukrainian troops might leave Bakhmut, but that should it fall that 鈥渨on鈥檛 necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight鈥�.
鈥淚 think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value,鈥� Austin said.
Kyiv says Russia鈥檚 losses in trying to seize a city already reduced to rubble could determine the future course of the war by destroying combat power ahead of decisive battles later this year.
Russia refers to the campaign as a 鈥渟pecial military operation鈥� but has increasingly reframed initial denunciation of 鈥淣azis鈥� in Ukraine to describe it as a fight against the 鈥渃ollective West鈥� which threatens its very existence.
Ukraine and the West describe Russia鈥檚 actions as an unprovoked war of aggression aimed at expanding territory.
On Monday, Russia鈥檚 FSB security service said it had thwarted a Ukraine-backed car bomb attack against a prominent nationalist businessman who has been a cheerleader for Moscow鈥檚 war. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.