Ukrainian forces advance on southern flank of Bakhmut and do not let Russians move around the city - military expert Zgurets

Frontline situation 

The commander of the Ground Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, visited Bakhmut once again. He stated that the situation on the Bakhmut front is intense, with both sides trying to gain the upper hand. The situation is rapidly changing, and positions are being exchanged multiple times a day. The enemy is reacting actively to our actions and has established a strong defense with three positions in some areas. Although there is still a threat of enemy attacks from Bakhmut towards Chasiv Yar, our active and flexible maneuvers prevent them from trapping us in their defense.

Meanwhile, our Armed Forces continue to make progress on the southern flank of Bakhmut and engage in combat operations on the northern flank. In Bakhmut itself, our troops are destroying enemy targets and restricting their movement within the city. Our snipers are also operating there. According to Serhiy Cherevatyi, the Eastern Group of Forces spokesman, we are facing up to 50,000 enemy troops, over 300 tanks, and 330 different artillery systems in the Bakhmut direction. The enemy is attempting to reinforce their positions to the north and south of Bakhmut, making the situation quite challenging.

Kyrylo Sazonov, a serviceman from the Bakhmut district, told about the difficulties they are facing. Bakhmut is the decisive battle in this war. The 3rd assault brigade is advancing to the south, while the 57th brigade is pushing from the north. Fierce battles occur every 100 meters. Although progress is slow, Bakhmut is already partially surrounded. The occupiers will either need to make concessions or risk being trapped. Despite the enemy's reinforcements, Bakhmut holds great significance to them, which is why they are striving to maintain control even though the city lies in ruins. The strategic location of Bakhmut in the lowlands, with commanding heights nearby like Chasiv Yar and Klishchiivka, puts the Russian soldiers in a difficult position.

Sazonov mentioned that the Ukrainian artillery strikes first, followed by assault units that push the enemy out of their positions. The infantry then digs new positions to avoid being predictable. Some areas have been mined by the enemy in anticipation of a Ukrainian offensive. The extensive mining shows that the Russians understand they cannot advance further and must hold onto what they have captured. However, the Armed Forces have their own tactics to counter these challenges.

Sazonov recalled the difficulties they faced a year ago in Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk when the enemy launched heavy attacks using various weapons. At times, their brigade had to seek assistance from other units due to a lack of weaponry. The situation has changed now, and while the Russians may have more ammunition, we possess modern weapons. Sometimes just a few shots are enough to neutralize an enemy battery. We have achieved parity thanks to our modern equipment. The enemy doesn’t like that their positions are being targeted.

Poland is preparing 

We remember that in Bakhmut, Wagner PMC units were defeated. Recently, soldiers connected to Prigozhin tried to march on Moscow, and now there are talks about their relocation to Belarus. This creates new dangers for neighboring countries, including Poland. Dariusz Materniak, a Polish analyst and editor-in-chief of the Polish-Ukrainian portal, shared interesting points about Poland's preparations.

According to him, Poland is keeping an eye on the situation to see if members of the Wagner group appear in Belarus, but there is no confirmation yet. However, the crisis at the Belarusian-Polish border has been ongoing for almost two years. There are doubts about Wagner operating freely in Belarus because it would pose a threat to Lukashenko himself. The authorities in Minsk are more likely to limit the activities of Prigozhin's soldiers. If there is a specific threat, Poland is preparing for the Wagner PMC military, which is seen as a greater concern than migrants at the border. They plan to reinforce units protecting the Polish border with Belarus.

The Polish analyst mentioned that if nuclear weapons are present in Belarus, Poland's desire to host NATO nuclear weapons is understandable. This idea has been proposed by Poland since 2014, but decisions regarding nuclear weapons are made in Washington. It is unlikely that any changes will happen in the near future.

Dariusz also discussed the possibility of Poland transferring a new anti-ship complex with Norwegian NSM cruise missiles to Ukraine. Talks about selling such a complex to Ukraine are ongoing. Poland has two batteries of this complex, and about a month ago, there was news that Poland plans to purchase a third system. It is logical that at least one of them could be transferred to Ukraine since there is no need for so many batteries in the Baltic Sea. This transfer would significantly enhance Ukraine's anti-ship defense capabilities. We will have to wait and see when this specific request will be implemented.