The violent fighting around Bachmut has been going on for over four months. During that time, thousands of soldiers are estimated to have been killed or wounded – without either side making any noticeable progress.
The city, which before the war had a population of 70,000, has been destroyed bit by bit by the Russian shelling and is today a ghost town.
According to military expert Jörgen Elfving, Bachmut’s strategic location is an important reason for the fierce battles.
– If the Russians take the city, they have greater freedom of action to choose a continued direction of attack, but during the at least four months that the fighting has been going on, they haven’t really had any success. It may indicate that this city is ascribed relatively great importance – but it may also be that there is prestige in the whole thing, he says and continues:
– If you’ve been at it this long, you don’t give up until you’ve taken Bachmut.
According to Reuters, Russia may have plans to encircle the town of Bachmut to gain easier access to the nearby towns of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Volunteers are now evacuating residents in the city, which has long been without electricity and water.
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