Russia has announced that it has captured the city of Pakmud. Criticism comes from their own positions. Putin critic Igor Kirkin condemned the heavy losses and described the victory as a waste of time.
Bakhmut/Moscow – For months, the Ukrainian army and Russian soldiers, including Wagner Group, have been facing each other in Bakhmut. This battle is considered the longest and bloodiest of the Ukrainian war. Now Wagner’s group has taken over the city, at least according to Russian sources. But at what cost? A Russian critic thinks the train is pointless. He knows the losses of fighting.
Bachmut: Putin critic thinks victory meaningless – “lost time”
“Bachmut was brought home,” Putin critic Igor Kirkin writes in Telegram. “That doesn’t excite me, given the casualties, the wasted resources, the lost time and the early realization of the strategic futility of this operation.”
Kirkin also wrote about the battles south of Pakmut for Avdiivka, Meringa and Ukladar, which were not a victory, but bloody. Unfortunately it was not the blood of those who had planned and directed the attacks from headquarters, but of “leading soldiers and officers, mobilized and volunteers,” the paper quoted him as saying. Newsweek Kirk’s report.
| Losses in the war in Ukraine | Confirmed American claims | Evaluations of other parties |
| Ukraine | 15.500 – 17.500 | |
| Russia | 35.500 – 43.000 | Over 200,000 (Ukraine estimate) |
Kirkin is a former military commander in Donetsk. He rose to prominence during the annexation of Crimea and became one of the leading voices of Russian nationalists. He supports the war, but has repeatedly been harshly critical of the Russian military leadership and the stalling of the planned invasion of Ukraine. A The war in Ukraine is a “bloody circus with clowns in uniform.”He filed a complaint in April.
Battles for Buckmutt: Win or Fail?
Fighting has been going on for months in Bagmuth. Latest news on Bachmut pointed further in the direction of a recent Ukrainian victory. On Friday, May 19, Ukraine said it had launched counterattacks around the city, which had been completely destroyed. In response, Russia has sent additional troops to the frontline in recent days, the Defense Ministry said in London.
On the morning of Sunday, May 21, Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner’s troops, announced the capture of the city, which was confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday: “Today, Bakmuth is only in our hearts.” There is “nothing” there. Whether Selenskyj represented the destruction of the city or a possible victory was at first left open. A few hours later, the president’s spokesman denied that Zelenskyj had confirmed any loss of Pakmut.
Explicit Bachmat success: it should have only one symbolic value
But success, or not? How important is the city in eastern Ukraine? The significance of the small town has been debated for months — and not just by Putin critic Kirkin. At first, it seemed that victory would open the way for Russia inland. Bakmut is close to the highway to the Ukrainian-controlled main cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. However, in the meantime, Ukraine recaptured the nearby towns of Lyman and Isium.
Thus the Bagmuth victory is likely to have primarily symbolic meaning for both sides. After last year’s spring offensive, Russia can once again declare a victory. Ukraine, too, had its last major regional victory when it recaptured Cherson in November 2022. It is also questionable whether the capture of Bagmuth will have an impact on Ukraine’s expected spring offensive. Guess not. This is because there has always been speculation that Kiev was testing the ability of Russian troops to defend themselves in later battles at Bagmut. Meanwhile, experts are confused about Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive: Has it already begun? (chd/dpa/AFP)
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