NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said this in a BBC interview.
He believes that Russia is trying to take Bakhmut by February 24, because it lives by anniversaries and dates.
"They promised to gift this city to Putin on his birthday on October 7. It didn't work out, but an explosion happened in Crimea. This country lives by anniversaries and dates, Russia is a necrophiliac country, for them a living person is worthless. And when they die, they should be honored," the NSDC Secretary said.
Russia is now forming a number of private armies, and this is the way to destroy the country, Danilov emphasizes.
"Putin has destroyed and is destroying Russia. They don't realize it yet, but Putin is destroying Russia, he wanted to build a new empire, but he will destroy it," he added.
He emphasized that Russia's offensive began on February 24, 2022, and has not stopped since, but admitted that the fighting in Donbas has now intensified.
“Intensified actions are underway, a certain period of time has passed, they are trying to find weaknesses in our defense, they have now concentrated a huge number of troops and weapons in the Donetsk region, where Bakhmut is located, but I am sure we must repel them, no matter how difficult it is,” Danilov said.
Starting February 13, civilians and the press can no longer enter the city without special passes. Less than five thousand residents remain in the city.
British intelligence stated that the Russian leadership faces a choice between completely seize Donbas and defending the land bridge to Crimea in Zaporizhzhia. ISW emphasized that due to the Bakhmut defense, the AFU created conditions for a future counteroffensive.
According to Serhiy Cherevatyi, the AFU Eastern Grouping spokesman, the enemy is suffering significant losses in the Bakhmut direction: they lose at least 50 soldiers a day, so they are forced to mobilize convicts. In Bakhmut they are focused on the offensive.