US newspaper: Washington advises Ukraine to withdraw from Bakhmut before Russia's siege

Ukrainian forces fight in Bakhmut (Photo: AP).

The Washington Post , citing leaked documents, reported that since January, the US government had warned Ukraine about the possibility of being surrounded by Russian troops in the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk province, eastern Ukraine.

The document, marked “top secret”, said that “steady” Russian advances since last November “have jeopardised Ukraine’s ability to hold the city of Bakhmut”. It said Ukrainian forces could face “encirclement unless they withdraw within the next month”.

However, according to the Washington Post , all of the above warnings were ignored by the Kiev government.

Bloomberg News in February quoted US and European officials as saying that the West had advised Ukraine to wait for an opportunity to launch an offensive in the spring. According to Western officials, to preserve its forces before the main battle tanks provided by the West are delivered, Ukraine should accept a withdrawal from Bakhmut.

Bloomberg reported that the West recommended that Ukraine should retreat west and establish a new defense line to prevent Russia from continuing to advance to the cities of Kramatorsk and Slavyansk.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said last month that Bakhmut had more symbolic value than strategic and operational value. He said that the fall of Bakhmut did not mean that Russia could change the outcome of this war.

Bakhmut is a small city in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. The fighting for control of Bakhmut between Russia and Ukraine has lasted for months and cost both sides huge resources. This is the only front where Russia has made significant progress since last summer.

Experts also say that Bakhmut has little strategic value, and is mainly symbolic. However, Moscow needs a victory to boost morale and prepare for a large-scale offensive in the spring or summer of this year.

Ukrainian officials also admit that Bakhmut no longer has much strategic value, but the country's military is trying to hold the city as long as possible to wear down resources and hold off Russian forces while waiting for aid from the West.

Ukraine fears that if it takes control of Bakhmut, Russia could expand its offensive to other key cities in the East. On the other hand, Ukraine believes that by keeping Russia in Bakhmut, Kiev is depleting Moscow’s top elite forces as Ukraine gears up for a large-scale counterattack.

Yan Gagin, a senior adviser to the separatist leader of Donetsk, said this week that Russia’s private military force Wagner is believed to control about 90 percent of Bakhmut. A week earlier, Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Russia controlled more than 80 percent of Bakhmut, including all government buildings.

In recent times, Ukraine has repeatedly stated that it has no plans to withdraw from Bakhmut. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar emphasized that if the country's armed forces do not protect Bakhmut, the Russian army will advance deeper into Ukrainian territory.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/bao-my-washington-khuyen-ukraine-rut-khoi-bakhmut-truoc-vong-vay-cua-nga-20230421132514302.htm