Russian Strategy to Capture Bakhmut is Working
A dangerous situation is developing near the edge of the war zone
Ukraine and Russia are engaged in a tight battle over Bakhmut. No one is willing to yield.
Ukraine is not ready to give up because it will end their winning streak. Russia has thrown everything at this battle because it is determined to change the narrative that territorial gains are way past the Russian military’s capacity.
As the six-month attritional war for Bakhmut has gradually evolved into a do-or-die battle between Russia and Ukraine, victory will bring fresh benefits for the winner.
Putin ordered a partial mobilization in September 2022 after losing tens of thousands of soldiers in Ukraine. However, the rate at which Russia keeps losing soldiers in Ukraine has forced the Russian army into a non-stop recruitment drive.
“Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu unveiled a proposal in December to increase the country’s military personnel to 1.5 million by 2026, up from 1.1 million now”. In a country with 140 million citizens, forcing a million to fight in Ukraine is not an impossible…
