Russian MoD uses Wagner PMC to seize Bakhmut and minimize conventional forces losses – ISW

Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports this.

According to ISW experts, the Russian Defense Ministry and Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that Wagner PMC fighters comprise the main part of the forces in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, while unspecified units of the Russian Airborne troops (VDV) provide support on the flanks north and south of the city. 

Experts suggest that Russia's forces on the flanks likely have an objective to only hold the flanks, not to make any significant advances.

"This array of forces suggests that the Russian MoD intends to use the Wagner Group to capture Bakhmut while minimizing casualties among conventional Russian forces — supporting ISW’s prior assessments that the MoD seeks to use Wagner forces to capture Bakhmut then supplant them and take credit for the victory," the report says.

ISW key takeaways:

• The Kremlin passed legislation to use tools of digital authoritarianism to digitize and improve the effectiveness of issuing summonses and to crack down on Russian draft dodgers.

• A small, fringe group of pro-war Russian milbloggers called for the Russian government to repeal the censorship laws against discrediting the Russian military.

• Russian forces appear to hold positions northeast of Kupiansk and have made gains in the forest area south of Kreminna.

• Russian troops conducted ground attacks in and around Bakhmut, as well as along the Avdiivka-Donetsk line.

• Russian troops conducted defensive operations in southern Ukraine.

• Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu visited defense industrial enterprises in Tula Oblast as part of the ongoing effort to portray the resilience of Russia's defense industrial base (DIB).

The Institute previously wrote that by ignoring the requests of Wagner PMC head Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Kremlin is trying to discredit and undermine his authority in society and among the military.