Ukraine says Russian army near Bakhmut less ‘uncomfortable’ enemy than Wagner forces

Ukraine’s military said the Russian soldiers they are now fighting to recapture the key eastern city of Bakhmut are “less uncomfortable” than facing Wagner forces who eventually captured the city in May.

Col Oleksandr Bakulin, commander of the 57th Brigade, told the BCC he did not underestimate his enemy but that the regular Russian troops he now faces are not like Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner mercenaries.

Bakulin said Wagner “were uncomfortable enemies… they were killing for the sake of killing.”

The eastern city of Bakhmut serves as a flashpoint target as it was seized by Wagner forces who handed control over to Russia after one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the conflict and would be a huge moral victory for Kyiv to wrest back control over it.

Bakulin is optimistic: “If we put in a bit of effort, Bakhmut could be encircled.”

General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukrainian ground forces told the BBC that the city's recapture would have more than just symbolic value. He argued Bakhmut was also of strategic importance – as the gateway to other key cities in the region.

Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar said on Monday that Russia’s forces have intensified their attacks in the Kupiansk direction in response to the Ukrainian offensive and its gains in the direction of Bakhmut.

She said this was a Russian tactic used by their troops before in an effort to stretch Ukraine’s forces: “This is done to stretch our forces so that we cannot concentrate on the area where we are conducting the offensive. But we are responding quickly to changes in the operational situation.”

Washington-based think tank Institute of Study of War (ISW) wrote in an assessment that Russian forces are conducting offensive operations in Bakhmut to divert Ukrainian reserves from critical areas, but the poor quality and composition of Russian troops may limit their ability to achieve significant gains or breakthroughs.

Read more:

Ukraine: Russia heavily hitting Kupiansk in response to successful Bakhmut offensive

Russia rationing artillery shells to keep fire capability, ‘fragile’ in Bakhmut: UK

Ukraine says Russia’s losses on Bakhmut front nearing earlier Wagner losses