Russia lost 20 to 30 thousand troops trying to take Bakhmut - The Guardian

This was written by The Guardian journalist Dan Sabbagh.

According to him, Western officials have noted that Russia lost between 20,000 and 30,000 people trying to take Bakhmut, and the ratio of killed to wounded could be worse than one to three. At the same time, the officials did not give a clear figure for Ukrainian casualties, but noted that they were "less than that."

The official added that a significant part of these losses are Wagner's soldiers, where "the mortality rate is much higher than in the Russian armed forces."

Officials also said they believe Ukraine is still able to hold and renew its troops in Bakhmut, although the city is surrounded on three sides, adding that the defenders could "hold out for another month" - or decide to tactically withdraw "within a week." However, they noted that the course of the long battle remains uncertain.

• According to NATO intelligence, Russia lost 5 times more servicemen than Ukraine while trying to capture Bakhmut in Donetsk region.

• Read more news about the situation in Bakhmut on Espreso at this link