Moscow intends to acquire the whole of Ukraine but analysts doubt that it could do so given the difficulties Russia encountered in capturing Bakhmut.
The minuscule house in which Andrii “Tuman” lives in a badly bombed eastern Ukraine village is the headquarters for a battalion that fights Russian attacks around the clock.
Taking place to the north in the Luhansk region is what Ukrainian forces have described as happening in Bakhmut, with more Russian troops, weapons, and aggressive tactics intended to lead to a breakthrough that Russia so desperately needs.
It is clear from the medic reports in recent weeks that heavy casualties have occurred along the eastern and southern Ukrainian fronts, a testament to the brutality of the conflict.
“We’ve had between 40 and 50 attempted assaults since the beginning of February,” he told media outlets between relaying messages.
“We’ve repelled them all,” said the commander, who calls himself Ichkerian, the historic name for Chechnya, the southern region of Russia. His opposition to the control of the territory by Moscow is strong.
There is a major risk in this area, which is why it is being protected which is such diligence, as crucial as Bakhmut is.
Moscow may intend to do this, but analysts doubted that it could do so given the difficulties Russia has encountered in capturing Bakhmut, a virtually abandoned and badly ruined city.
“In light of Russia’s losses, it would make it very difficult or next to impossible for Russia to acquire Sloiansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka
President Vladimir Putin has justified Moscow’s year-long invasion of Ukraine as a defensive response to an aggressive West trying to expand into the territory it historically controlled.
Thousands of people have been killed, towns and cities have been ravaged, and millions have fled their homes due to the war. Kyiv and the West reject his justification for such a war that they say is an attempt to take land from the Ukrainians.
In every corner, there are signs of the fighting and the ensuing artillery duels. A swarm of heavily armed militants fires artillery shells into the northeastern Russian positions, destroying homes and shops in the area. The surrounding woods are littered with burned-out military vehicles, homes and shops have been destroyed, and cannons are pouring fire into Russian positions to the northeast.
During the eight months, it has been trying to capture Bakhmut, and further north, Russia has only made incremental gains.
Another room in the base was occupied by two men watching live footage that was being broadcast from drones over Russian positions. They used this information to pinpoint enemy positions with artillery fire.
Several kilometers away from the frontline, in the surrounding woods, a two-man medical evacuation team awaited for friends to bring their comrades who had been wounded in the fighting to the,
As many as 20 battalion soldiers were wounded in a single day in February when the most intense fighting took place, according to Mykhailo Anest, a 35-year-old medic.
Tuman believes Ukraine might be forced to launch a counterattack soon if it continues to take the initiative. There are many places where tracks have become muddy due to the warmer weather, causing heavy vehicles to have difficulty driving.
The Russians must be kept under pressure by the use of more artillery and rocket launchers, according to Tuman.
Both sides appear to have an equal chance of defending their positions and pinning down their opponents using artillery at the moment.