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Russian efforts around Bakhmut indicate that Russian forces have fundamentally failed to learn from previous high-casualty campaigns concentrated on objectives of limited operational or strategic significance. Russian forces have continually expended combat strength on small settlements around Bakhmut since the end of May; in the following six months, they have only secured gains on the order of a few kilometers at a time.[1] As ISW has previously observed, Russian efforts to advance on Bakhmut have resulted in the continued attrition of Russian manpower and equipment, pinning troops on relatively insignificant settlements for weeks and months at a time.[2] This pattern of operations closely resembles the previous Russian effort to take Severodonetsk and Lysychansk earlier in the war. As ISW assessed throughout June and July of this year, Ukrainian forces essentially allowed Russian troops to concentrate efforts on Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, two cities near the Luhansk Oblast border of limited operational and strategic significance, in order to capitalize on the continued degradation of Russian manpower and equipment over the course of months of grinding combat.[3] Russian troops eventually captured Lysychansk and Severodonetsk and reached the Luhansk Oblast border, but that tactical success translated to negligible operational benefit as the Russian offensive in the east then culminated. Russian efforts in this area have remained largely stalled along the lines that they reached in early July. Even if Russian troops continue to advance toward and within Bakhmut, and even if they force a controlled Ukrainian withdrawal from the city (as was the case in Lysychansk), Bakhmut itself offers them little operational benefit. The costs associated with six months of brutal, grinding, and attrition-based combat around Bakhmut far outweigh any operational advantage that the Russians can obtain from taking Bakhmut. Russian offensives around Bakhmut, on the other hand, are consuming a significant proportion of Russia’s available combat power, potentially facilitating continued Ukrainian counteroffensives elsewhere.
Well despite whatever stupid mistakes they may be making, they are having some success with it. The Ukrainians are on the run in Bakhmut.
What value does it have other than propaganda?? It doesn't change one thing about this war.
Again
Quote:
Even if Russian troops continue to advance toward and within Bakhmut, and even if they force a controlled Ukrainian withdrawal from the city (as was the case in Lysychansk), Bakhmut itself offers them little operational benefit. The costs associated with six months of brutal, grinding, and attrition-based combat around Bakhmut far outweigh any operational advantage that the Russians can obtain from taking Bakhmut. Russian offensives around Bakhmut, on the other hand, are consuming a significant proportion of Russia’s available combat power, potentially facilitating continued Ukrainian counteroffensives elsewhere.
Russia invests 'disproportionately costly' offensive to take Bakhmut despite low strategic advantage: UK intel
Battle for Bakhmut has become 'symbolic' for Russia despite low strategic advantage
Well despite whatever stupid mistakes they may be making, they are having some success with it. The Ukrainians are on the run in Bakhmut.
On the run? I can run faster than 100-200 meters per day, which is what Russia is maintaining. Even tortoises can maintain a speed of 1 km/hour, so a tortoise would smoke the Russian advance by a factor of 24.
The Russians do not have the Ukrainians "on the run".
On the run? I can run faster than 100-200 meters per day, which is what Russia is maintaining. Even tortoises can maintain a speed of 1 km/hour, so a tortoise would smoke the Russian advance by a factor of 24.
The Russians do not have the Ukrainians "on the run".
The Ukrainians are evacuating Bakhmut, the same way the Russians evacuated Kherson.
Not only is the Ukraine not making any progress in liberating Donetsk, but the Russians are breaking through their lines and they are slowly losing ground. That is not good.
The Ukrainians are evacuating Bakhmut, the same way the Russians evacuated Kherson.
Not only is the Ukraine not making any progress in liberating Donetsk, but the Russians are breaking through their lines and they are slowly losing ground. That is not good.
Bakhmut is for Russian consumption only. To everybody else it looks like a huge waste of men and equipment with nothing in return for it...other than a town that has a gas station that's been razed to the ground.
What value does it have other than propaganda?? It doesn't change one thing about this war.
The Ukraine is losing Bakhmut, which they have been fighting to defend for 6 months. Biden is now begging Putin to come to the negotiating table, and Putin just blew him off by making unreasonable demands. It's not going good for the Ukraine right now.
The Ukraine is losing Bakhmut, which they have been fighting to defend for 6 months. Biden is now begging Putin to come to the negotiating table, and Putin just blew him off by making unreasonable demands. It's not going good for the Ukraine right now.
Yep and Santa Clause is gathering all his gifts right now so that he can deliver them on Christmas.
The Ukraine is losing Bakhmut, which they have been fighting to defend for 6 months. Biden is now begging Putin to come to the negotiating table, and Putin just blew him off by making unreasonable demands. It's not going good for the Ukraine right now.
You could look at it another way. Ukraine has been defending Bakhmut (a minor city)with their "C" team, while Russia has been trying to take it with their "A" team. Over 6 months, Ukraine has kept the Russian A team tied down and limited to a miniscule advance while simultaneously retaking much of the Kerson area (a province) and Kharkiv (another province).
I will take that trade any day of the week.
Now, to address your mischaracterization of the Biden admin, Biden said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by NPR
"I have no immediate plans to contact Mr. Putin," he said. "Mr. Putin is — I need to choose my words very carefully. I'm prepared to speak with Mr. Putin if, in fact, there is an interest in him — he's looking for a way to end the war. He hasn't done that yet."
Hardly sounds like begging to me. Open to discussion, under the correct conditions? Sure. Begging? Not even close.
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