Britain says Ukraine must withdraw troops in an orderly manner from some areas in Bakhmut

Anh nói Ukraine phải rút quân có trật tự khỏi một số khu vực ở Bakhmut - 1 — Ukrainian soldiers open fire near Bakhmut on April 13 (Photo: Reuters).

Reuters quoted an intelligence report from the British Ministry of Defense on April 14 saying that, with the coordination of the private military force Wagner, in the past two days, Russia has increased its artillery attacks on the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk province, Eastern Ukraine.

“Ukrainian defense forces still hold the western districts of the city but have come under particularly heavy Russian artillery fire over the past 48 hours,” the report said.

"Wagner strike groups continued to conduct the main attack through the town center, while Russian airborne forces relieved some Wagner units on the northern and southern flanks. Ukrainian forces were facing significant supply problems but withdrew in an orderly manner from positions they were forced to concede," the report said.

The information was released shortly after the Russian Defense Ministry said on April 13: "Airborne troops are supporting the assault force, preventing the movement of Ukrainian reserves into the city of Bakhmut and the possibility of the withdrawal of enemy units." According to the Russian Defense Ministry, units of the Wagner private military force continue to conduct high-intensity combat operations to push Ukrainian forces away from the central area of Bakhmut.

Yan Gagin, an adviser to the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), also said that Ukrainian combat units in Bakhmut were almost surrounded and had no way to retreat. "The enemy has been pushed to the western outskirts of Bakhmut and fierce battles are taking place there. Ukrainian combat units are now blocked, almost surrounded," Gagin said.

Ukraine has not yet commented on the information. Earlier, the Ukrainian military confirmed on April 13 that Russian forces were trying to surround Bakhmut from the north and south with heavy artillery fire.

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that Bakhmut continues to be the most fierce and difficult front. "Most of the enemy's offensive efforts are focused on Bakhmut. They use the most professional units, pour large amounts of artillery and air resources there. Every day, Russia carries out 40-50 operations and 500 artillery strikes on Bakhmut," Ms. Maliar wrote on Twitter.

However, she asserted: "Despite the enemy's concentration of the most professional units in Bakhmut, including Wagner gunmen, air assault units and special forces, Russia still could not achieve its goal of complete control of Bakhmut."

Bakhmut is a small town in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Although Western experts consider Bakhmut to have little strategic value, Russia and Ukraine have decided to pour resources into the battle that has caused both sides great losses in recent months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian troops would hold out in the city as long as possible to wear down Russian forces. On the other hand, he said that if Kiev’s forces were in danger of being surrounded, commanders would make appropriate decisions. Russia currently controls about 70% of Bakhmut.

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