Ukraine forces pull back as Russia mounts ‘re-energised’ Bakhmut assault, UK says

Britain reported Friday that Russian artillery shelling has forced Ukrainian troops to withdraw from some positions in Bakhmut.

“Russia has re-energised its assault on the Donetsk Oblast town of Bakhmut as forces of the Russian MoD and Wagner Group have improved co-operation,” it claimed. Wagner Group is Russia’s biggest mercenary force.

“Ukrainian forces face significant resupply issues but have made orderly withdrawals from the positions they have been forced to concede,” Britain’s military stated in a daily intelligence briefing.

Wagner led the Russian side in the months-long struggle, the deadliest of the war for both sides, but the mercenary group’s chief complained of weak military assistance.

“The Ukrainian defence still holds the western districts of the town but has been subjected to particularly intense Russian artillery fire over the previous 48 hours,” the British bulletin read.

Wagner infantry were now pushing in Bakhmut’s center, while Russian paratroopers were relieving them in flank attacks.

Russia’s winter onslaught has targeted Bakhmut, which had 70,000 people before the war, but it has made little progress despite intense infantry ground warfare not seen in Europe since World War Two.

Russia’s first major success in eight months would be taking the city. Moscow claims it would enable the capture of more Donbas area, a crucial war goal.

Ukraine, which is preparing for its own counteroffensive, appeared poised to evacuate Bakhmut at the end of February, but said in March that it would fight on there, stating Russia was taking more fatalities trying to storm it.