The Russians almost reached the center of Bakhmut – ISW
Some of the most combat-ready units of a private company could also be transferred to the Avdiivka direction.
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) states the advance of the Russians in Bakhmut – from the south to the center and in the north-west of the city.
ISW analysts write that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner PMC, was on March 27 in the building of the Bakhmut 5th school – less than a kilometer southeast of the Bakhmut City Council.
In addition, ISW reports that the Russians have advanced in the north-west of the city, in the industrial zone and along Zelenaya and Alexandra Kolpakova streets – this is a couple of kilometers from the very center of Bakhmut.
In the assault on Bakhmut, mercenaries from the PMC “Wagner” are assisted by regular units of the Russian army.
Separately, the Institute for the Study of War suggests that some of the most combat-ready units of a private company could also be transferred to the Avdiivka direction.
“The Russian military leadership in recent weeks may have decided to send certain Wagner units to the Avdiivka area to support the exhausted and low-quality parts of the Donetsk People’s Republic trying to take this locality. If such Wagner fighters are really fighting near Avdiivka, this may explain limited tactical success of the Russian Federation in the area in the last week,” the ISW report says.
War in Ukraine – the situation at the front
According to the summary of the General Staff, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka remain the most difficult sectors of the front, where fierce battles with the invaders continue.
The Russians have been trying hard to take Bakhmut for half a year now, the aggressor country deployed new forces in February – during the so-called “big offensive”.
Nevertheless, the price of “victory” for the Russian Federation is worth the lives of tens of thousands of its soldiers. As stated by Western officials, in February, the invaders managed to capture only 0.04% of Ukrainian territory.
Recently, the RF Armed Forces have strengthened in the Avdeevsky direction. The capture of the city would allow the Russian Federation to resume the offensive in the Ugledar direction.