Ukraine Laughts At Bakhmut "Legal Capture" Claim, But Will Pull Out If Advantageous

Ukraine continues to defend Bakhmut and has laughed off Wagner leader Prigozhin's claim of "legal capture" (a previously unheard of concept in war recognized by no one). 

But the Ukrainians have acknowledged that if it is advantageous to abandon the city in light of the coming counteroffensive, they will do so as they did at Severodonetsk last summer. JL 

Pavel Polityuk reports in Reuters:

Bakhmut has proven the bloodiest and longest battle of Russia's invasion, now in its 14th month. Kyiv's forces have held out against a Russian onslaught with heavy losses on both sides and the city reduced to ruin after months of street fighting and bombardment. President Zelenskiy said Ukrainian troops were fighting for Bakhmut but could withdraw if they risked being cut off. "For me, the most important is not to lose our soldiers and the correct decisions will be taken by generals there."

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Poland for its "historic" help in rallying Western support for Ukraine during a visit to Warsaw and said Ukrainian troops were still fighting for Bakhmut in the east but could withdraw if they risked being cut off.

Poland has provided vital weaponry to Kyiv since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year and taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees. During Zelenskiy's visit, Warsaw announced it would send 10 more MiG fighter jets to Kyiv on top of four provided earlier.

 

Polish President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw was also working to secure additional security guarantees for Ukraine at a NATO summit to be held in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius in July.

 

"...That will strengthen the military potential of Ukraine," Duda said at a joint news conference with Zelenskiy.

Zelenskiy said Ukrainian troops faced a really difficult situation in Bakhmut and Kyiv would take "corresponding" decisions to protect them if they risk being encircled by Russian invasion forces.

He said Kyiv's forces in Bakhmut sometimes advanced a little only to be knocked back, but that they remained inside the city.

"We are in Bakhmut and the enemy does not control it," Zelenskiy said.

Bakhmut, in Ukraine's mainly Russian-occupied Donetsk province, has proven one of the bloodiest and longest battles of Russia's invasion, now in its 14th month. Kyiv's forces have held out against a Russian onslaught with heavy losses on both sides and the city, a mining and transport hub, reduced to ruin after months of street fighting and bombardment.

"For me, the most important is not to lose our soldiers and of course if there is a moment of even hotter events and the danger we could lose our personnel because of encirclement - of course the corresponding correct decisions will be taken by generals there," Zelenskiy said.

He appeared to be referring to the idea of withdrawing.

However, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said later in the day that the situation at the front was "completely under control" despite repeated Russian attempts to take Bakhmut and other cities in the east.

She wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian soldiers were repelling dozens of attacks a day around Bakhmut, Lyman, Avdiivka and Marinka.

Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports.

Ukrainian military commanders have stressed the importance of holding Bakhmut and other cities and inflicting losses prior to an anticipated counter-offensive in the east by Kyiv in the coming weeks or months.

Mercenaries from the Wagner group - who have spearheaded the assault on Bakhmut - said at the weekend they had captured the city centre, a claim dismissed by Kyiv.

The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said the Wagner fighters had made advances in Bakhmut and were likely to continue trying to consolidate control of the city centre and push westward through dense urban neighbourhoods.