Russia likely to withdraw troops from Bakhmut - military expert Hetman

The expert shared his opinions with Espreso TV as he commented on the situation around Bakhmut.

"My friends who are there now say that by all indications it is clear that Russia does not believe it can capture Bakhmut. Its troops are still attacking, but by inertia. For 5 months they have been fighting for this city and are unable to capture it. They had to justify themselves somehow, so they built defense lines, but Prigozhin has to report something, because then even Chornobayivka will seem as not that big of a loss, when they cannot capture one not that big city for so many months," said the expert.

Oleksiy Hetman added that Prigozhin, owner of the Wagner PMC, is already reporting the lack of forces and that they cannot achieve results because of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"Most likely, Russia will withdraw its troops from Bakhmut and stop the assault. Because they keep doing the same things a hundred times and, accordingly, constantly get the same result. That is, they had to admit it and finally recognize it," the Hetman noted.

• On January 2, 2023, Ukrainian border guards took 2 heavy battles on the outskirts of Bakhmut and in the city itself. A group of about 30 Russian soldiers tried to storm the Ukrainian stronghold. The assault was repelled. According to preliminary data, 7 Russian soldiers were killed and 9 injured. Ukrainian border guards suffered no losses.
• As of the morning of January 3, the AFU General Staff emphasized that Russia, trying to take full control of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, focuses its efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Bakhmut direction. Also, on December, Russian troops fired from tanks, mortars and rocket artillery at Spirne, Berestove, Bilohorivka, Vesele, Yakovlivka, Soledar, Bakhmut and other settlements of the regions.
• Russian forces reduced their activity near Bakhmut as the Armed Forces of Ukraine received reinforcements in the area. Russia will not be able to capture Bakhmut in the near future.
• Also, an officer with the Svoboda (Freedom) battalion of Ukraine’s National Guard Andriy Ilienko noted that Russian losses in the Bakhmut direction are measured by hundreds of dead and seriously injured every day.