Battle for Bakhmut: At what cost do Russian forces advance? | DW News

Moscow is intensifying its efforts to take Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling more than 20 villages and towns in the area, making it the site of the longest-running battle of the war. Analysts say the city is not strategically important, but victory would be symbolic. Ukraine and Russia are both determined to prevail. The Ukrainian military said on Tuesday that it had repelled a number of attacks around Bakhmut in the past 24 hours. We take a look at the city Ukrainian and Russian forces have been locked in a battle for months, leading to countless casualties and giving rise to the infamous name 'meatgrinder'. Does Russia have the resources and manpower to sustain a large-scale offensive?
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#Bakhmut #Russia #Ukraine

[@fbkintanar]

6:30 "unltimately, all wars become about logistics." That is why Perun can sustain a KZbin audience with hour-long slide shows.

[@live_free_or_perish]

I never miss a Perun video. Most reliable analysis I'm aware of.

[@itheuserfirst3186]

@@live_free_or_perish LOL!

[@pogo1140]

Best ans probably the only PowerPoint presentation I've ever been able to sit through

[@thesavagewombat6867]

7:15

[@lenzp4133]

when in doubt, send in more men.. just like the guard in warhammer 40k.. totally nuts

[@pbh9195]

Bakmut is becoming something like Verdun where the location isn't strategically important but both sides just keep throwing more and more resources

[@throughput6674]

So says the arm chair general. your understanding of military matter is infinite.

[@neodym5809]

@@throughput6674 so, how about a single argument?

[@afawafa322]

“to bleed France white (Ukraine) in its defense”

[@pbh9195]

@@throughput6674 indeed I love that channel, though strangely I don't think I've seen the Verdun ep yet. That thought process is purely my own analysis.

[@throughput6674]

@@neodym5809 To what end? so you can claim im a Russian troll? we can have a single argument, but it would only consist of my boot on your throat.

[@TennisArena365]

Wow the lady at 3:25 wasn’t even fazed by the artillery fire 😮

[@Mixer2904]

she hears it every day she got used to it, I used to live in a war zone myself, you get used to shells and bullets firing after a time so they don't faze you anymore

[@encrenoir6097]

This is such a surreal situation 😢

[@itheuserfirst3186]

Buckle up, butter cup. Wait unttil NATO forces are on the ground.

[@cristiangaban960]

@@sunnyday9331 True, they would destroy Russian army from air and sea before even landing.

[@TommyTCGT]

@@itheuserfirst3186 They have been since 2014 and getting wallopped.

[@SerBallister]

@@TommyTCGT Yeah, hundreds of thousands of dead, maimed or injured NATO soldiers, their governments must be suppressing millions of family and friends to keep that quiet. You plank.

[@brandonlongdikjones8117]

@@verbalspaghettigaming7570 Tell them do it lol, I think it's a reason they haven't sent any missles deep into Russia, probably because Kiev would really be wiped off the map.

[@shawnw6486]

It's hilarious watching the camera crew run for their lives in the middle of interviewing an old lady because explosions are happening football fields away and the old lady ain't even phased like yeah this isn't serious yet

[@khiemone]

True, the elderly lady is used to it and doesn't seem concerned, but in reality she is, SHAME that your have never been in combat and under fire or you wouldn't THINK it was "hilarious"!

[@romysklavos7327]

I think it's because it's her home and she's accepted death

[@WhosAfraidofErikNordingII]

Ukrainian Babusya are a different breed, indeed!

[@suemowat222]

People in Bakhmut have learnt to distinguish between the sounds of incoming and outgoing fire, so know when and when not to duck.

[@pogo1140]

@@khiemone Back during the recent insurgency in the P.I, Ph Army troops and armor who were engaged in a fire fight with the rebels, just yards away (in the same frame of the video, were street vendors and their customers just going about their business as bullets and cannon fire were exchanged.

[@Jackal436]

Bakhmut is extremely important. Not only is it a fortress, but it is a gateway to other regions.

[@mrh5505]

Which is what they were saying a few weeks back..

[@ericdpeerik3928]

Every city is a gateway to another region, unless the roads stop.

[@45641560456405640563]

Nah, not extremely important. But it makes some people feel clever to be wrong for the sake of being different.

[@ericp1139]

@@45641560456405640563 If it's not important, then why did NATO spend 8 years building it up to be a fortress? Just for fun?

[@arnovriends5873]

It is the place where Russians go to die, the Ukrainians are facilitating that since early 2022, it stinks of death since two weeks later.

[@nandolutz86]

So many russian bots... Crazy

[@mikefox955]

NAFO troll perhaps?

[@alganis3339]

If you look at the last revelation on the "Story killers" (very intersting investigation on fakenews) you can understand how they are doing it

[@rons5319]

We are common sense Americans and others. I do not want my country supporting this war at all. Ukraine can fight its own battles and lose just as well.

[@dasboot5273]

@@tymaldo Feel free to write in cyrillic - google translate will translate better ... and by the way, from the first words we feel who the Kremlin troll is...

[@LogisticsWW]

"Russian bots" are a meme. There are a lot of supporters for Russia, but that doesn't make them robots. They're people, just misguided and uninformed. Don't buy into conspiracies. Everyone who disagrees with you isn't a paid shill or Russian bot.

[@simonm.456]

How Many Languages does Nick Connolly Speak? I counted so far 5 languages. And in none he seems to have an accent. That is more than impressive.

[@tmi1234567]

Some people are just built different I guess

[@williamyoung9401]

Isn't it amazing the journalists on the ground in Ukraine "objectively" send a sly a message of, "Ukraine is basically reiterating what NATO promised; to protect us if we gave up our nuclear weapons. So, give us your stuff if you're not going to use it. We will." Now is the time to give Ukraine everything it needs (short of nukes) to protect itself from Russian aggression.

[@williamalfonso1373]

Nick is European, They tend to know more than 2. Unlike americans that hardly even know how to speak english.

[@duncansmith7562]

would be nice if he occasionally said something that made sense in any of those 5 languages.

[@johndodson8464]

@William Alfonso Why would we waste time learning obsolete languages? It's like learning B.A.S.I.C. computer language. We just learn how to dominate industry, and everyone else learns to speak OUR language.

[@maryanchabursky9148]

As a Ukrainian I want to address a few types of comments I hear about this topic: 1. “Does Bakhmut have strategic value?” Short answer no. The longer answer is that the cities location has no major value, there are bigger and better defended cities to the west (more on that later). Additionally the city has been destroyed to the point it has no use as a logistics hub for further offensive actions for either side. 2. “Then why fight for it/Ukraine is just bleeding ruSSia out/it is just symbolic” Short answer THE CITY HAS NO STRATEGIC VALUE BUT THE BATTLE ITSELF DOES (edit: many of you seem to be struggling with the above sentence, so I have highlighted it for you). Longer answer is that although yes Ukraine is inflicting heavier casualties than it is sustaining, and yes ruSSia wants it for the symbolic victory. HOWEVER the main purpose is to tie down the other sides forces. ruSSia wants to take the city in order to tie down Ukrainian forces in Donetsk in the summer (instead being used in an offensive). Ukraine wants to tie down ruSSian forces there in order to avoid ruSSia redeploying to the north (Luhansk) and the south Donetsk front and potentially break through before more western aid arrives (conversely this is also why ruSSia wants to take the city so quickly). 3. “Bakhmut is Ukraines fortress in and key to Donbas/ruSSia will take the rest of Donbas quickly after Bakhmut” (as all the kremlin apologists say) ruSSia has been trying to take Bakhmut (73,000) for nearly 7 months, the city has been the epicentre of combat for 5 months, and even now they only have success outside of the city by trying to encircle it. Now compare this to Slovyansk (111,000) and Kramatorsk (157,000). A major river (Donets) to the north and in order to even reach (let alone cross) it they need to take Lyman (21,000). To the south the ruSSians first need to take Konstantinivka (70,000) and then Drujhkivka (54,000). In other words encircling the cities (if they even manage to reach them from the front) is impossible. The two cities have been heavily fortified since 2014 (even more so than Bakhmut). TLDR Ukraine is holding the city to delay an effective winter offensive from ruSSia until the window for one is to narrow. Long live sovereign, independent, and democratic Ukraine.

[@khubza8999]

"ruSSia has been trying to take Bakhmut (73,000) for nearly 7 months...." MUST BE WELL-DEFENDED. WONDER WHY???

[@Conn30Mtenor]

@@khubza8999 The Ukrainians are bleeding the Russians white. Bakhmut is a Verdun-like situation.

[@meemuboi]

Ok, slava rossii

[@homelessjesse9453]

If Ukraine is winning, why does your cokehead leader always beg for stuff? He never ends with the begging.

[@vladimirprotein1275]

when the Town is losing the bot is already programmed to say “bakhmut is not a strategic important”..you know the bot losers.

[@alanscott2422]

And mum did not even bat an eyelid.

[@RichardsWorld]

The old lady just walking around like nothing is going on. She is used to this already and already knows she has lived her life long enough.

[@davidrivassr1259]

War is so sad..it just destroys so much..😒

[@DawnArrives]

And I’m afraid this is only the beginning..

[@langkungteron3341]

Tell your mom

[@perthforme]

@@DawnArrives yes I fear the same. Watching different reports I feel this may go on years 😐

[@DawnArrives]

@@perthforme or come to a sudden abrupt explosive end

[@lsunav]

It is important area. It is the gateway to larger areas to capture.

[@nozhki-busha]

Not really, its important locally sure, but its capture will not lead to large scale gains to the west. There are dozens of similar towns which Ukraine will defend just as hard and continue to bleed Russia dry of troops.

[@TheRogueEmpire]

the bakmut strategy is working. ukraine is making russia lose almost a thousand soldiers to death every day for a strategically worthless city.

[@jbbeiser983]

More experts

[@iamsorryforbeingrudebefore1626]

@@nozhki-busha When ukraine retake territory abandoned by Russians, it's strategic. When Russia liberate a heavily defended town, it's not strategic at all.

[@carolmiller5713]

@@TheRogueEmpire We don't know that. There are no accurate reports of losses.

[@Mr.Deleonn]

That elder lady just stood there while the camera man ran 😂

[@williamellis1370]

Bunker Hill was more than a moral victory: it was a strategic one as well. The British were bottled up in Boston. They still were after the battle. They had to evacuate Boston the next year - and never came back.

[@GrandTheftChris]

@@williamellis1370 cool story bro

[@joaquinlepiz3858]

She has bigger stones than the cameraman.

[@chuapg1518]

The Ukraine military might conscript her for her courage.

[@billygoat520]

Offensives are usually noticeable on their onset, but this one is hard to determine. The problem I see is we are always waiting a month or two for the result of this and that. Now, suppose that Western tanks, and patriot air defense had entered the fray when HIMARS did months ago what the situation could be today. The AFU needs the beef as opposed to Kibbles and Bits.

[@thembalethudemza8543]

Today UFOs 🧐

[@RobertCWarwick]

I agree totally give Ukraine what they need now not later. This is pathetic.

[@itheuserfirst3186]

You can't escalate too quickly because then you give your enemy reason to go even futher on the coutner offenisve. You have to be patient in these wars of attrition. Sure, we could have sent NATO troops and everything else to Ukraine in the beginning, if we were certain Putin wasn't dumb enough to continue these losses; but they were, and they are. Y^ou have to ratchet up accordingly. Now, Germany dragging its feet on tanks was inexcusable. Hiding behind bureacratic nonsense to justify its piddling, when it's just a flaccid penis with some insider apologists causing static.

[@carolmiller5713]

When the 1st question to Zelensky is "Can we give you a ride out?" you know it's trouble. Military doesn't know how to fight any more and treat Putin like a sane person. He's a bully with a big mouth. Should've given Ukraine the weapons to punch him in the mouth at the beginning.

[@springbloom5940]

They have begun a large scale probe. This is not the offensive. They will likely make a feint in the North and possibly near Kherson, to divide Ukraine's forces and make a push at Donetsk.

[@mgronich948]

The west continues to say Bakmut is not strategically important. But Ukraine keeps sending troops into an unimportant objective? Why is that?

[@kebabpastej]

because it is.

[@acslater017]

Judging by how far they’ve made it from the border, the cost is about 1,000 lives per kilometer, i.e. 1 life per meter. And Wagner’s response is “the meat grinder is working”. Insane what software runs on some humans’ brains.

[@XerxesZangeneh]

I believe it was meant more like “the meat grinder is at work” expressing dread at how costly this battle will be, not happiness with how awful the push has been

[@PropagandasaurusRex]

The means to achieve victory in war are destruction and death. There is no war without it. So if you aim to achieve victory, you will have to rejoice when the means are succesful.

[@realnapster1522]

Have you studied WW2? Russians are tough people and never give up. Once they start rolling west, nobody can stop their momentum. Short of nukes.

[@itheuserfirst3186]

@@TommyV8898 WWI mentality. Meat grinder waves are not going to win you wars. Russia is leanring this the hard way.

[@Screzzex]

@@TommyV8898 lmao BOT, valid tactic maybe 100 years ago 😅. Not in the 21st century, in a time with drones, thermal images and precision weapons

[@charlesphillips1468]

"Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics." - an old military saying.

[@valuggel8972]

...if your sergeant majors suck, that is🙄

[@awesomepawn2]

I mean, if you count the gulf war that old...

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

So you said that normal non-army people have no got a clue, if this is so then you have been proven very wrong many times, this comes from an old soldier

[@danieldalton4444]

Omar Bradley

[@michaelbatterbee448]

Have you seen how Russia fights wars its like watching someone setting Putin on fire and making him juggle coal 😂😂😂

[@soniakirkland5105]

Where is the analysts battalion

[@Kristoffceyssens]

'Its not about the planes, its about the prestige' great. Just great....

[@danieldickson8591]

Don't undervalue pride as a motivating factor and contributor to morale.

[@sr.basilisc5906]

You missed "as such"

[@beepseatsfindingfoodtreasu8756]

He said, that they are vital for the troops. You may have missed that subtle point

[@Kristoffceyssens]

@@beepseatsfindingfoodtreasu8756 let me tell you, this war is over. Unless we start fighting with the russians to. They just have more bodies to trow in the grinder. 150 million Russians. They dont care... old, young, prisoner, wounded. Probably is cheaper for them to. Sacrifice the useles eaters first. Be real dude. I'm shure the ucranians feel good about these javelings, rockets, tanks and planes....

[@t.k.1448]

I find it appalling that Prigozhin refers to his tactics so openly as "meat grinder". It underlines the value he places on human life in general and his own men in particular: none whatsoever.

[@chuapg1518]

So ? Like Prigozhin, Zelensky still continue to send men to Bakhmut to fight and die.

[@Wild_Cat]

Yes

[@sodakstunner8507]

That old lady. Is so at peace. Pour lady is watching her city get blown up around her

[@TommyTCGT]

Well the U bin that too, eh? nutto/UKR shelled Donetsk and Lugansk for 8 years wrecking coal mines, electrical substations, water pumping stations and residential housing killing 21,000 civilians.

[@dominushydra]

She's probably hoping a rocket hits her now. 😢

[@Nainara32]

Mike Martin's hair looks better than usual today.

[@emmanuelmlekwangano9991]

If bakhmut is not so strategically important why defending it

[@jeffthompson8551]

meat grinder, more body bags back to the kremlin

[@LogisticsWW]

For two reasons. One, because it's symbolically important to Putin and the Russian government. Any loss they can inflict on the enemy is a victory for them. And two, because Russian forces are there. Bakhmut isn't the target, the Russian army is. And the Russian army happens to be attacking there. So the idea is to tie up and bleed out the Russian army on a strategically worthless location so there's left to defend with when the Ukrainian counteroffensive comes.

[@bijaychhetri7618]

reporter started with it why they are fighting for past 8 months for bakhmut….

[@jadntjodor1512]

Britan: "Russia can't do logistics" Russia: *constant transSiberian transfer since 1940s*

[@seanphurley]

maybe its the translator, but that soldier describing his difficulties almost sounded sarcastic. "Oh no, dont attack here... what would we do if you attacked here...." Hopefully...

[@oddish2253]

Nostalgia is dangerous in war and in business where efficiency is needed, it creates situations where one party over pays more than the value of the objective.

[@danieldickson8591]

But human beings aren't inherently efficient. Emotion and symbolism play a big role in troop morale and motivation. A good military commander has to weigh the tangible and intangible factors when deciding strategy. Russian command demonstrably hasn't, and look where that put them.

[@CarlosGarcia-vw8sc]

The logistics are even more difficult for Ukraine because they don’t produce what they need. They need to bring it from other countries.

[@enriqueperezarce5485]

Not really their railroads are still operational and their logistics are still in tact. If they weren’t Bakhmut would’ve fell by now

[@covidenslavement8918]

@@enriqueperezarce5485 lol

[@seanbirtwistle649]

how does that make sense? all they need to do is ship it in. they can use every soul in Ukraine to fight without worrying about depleting factories of people or slowing production. even if the produced everything in Ukraine they still need to ship it to the front

[@covidenslavement8918]

@@seanbirtwistle649 ha ha 😂😂

[@osamaeldinary6010]

~50,000 Ukrainian soldier with their equipments are about to get captured and he says the win is only symbolic 🤣

[@TedFanat]

If you want to capture such a huge amount of forces - you should encircle it much faster than 7 months. Don't be a clown

[@ngppa7462]

No problem..

[@aresnir2725]

If the city is "not strategically important", then Ukraine should withdraw from it. It will save buildings and citizens.

[@mersifullwolf4054]

It’s not much to Ukraine but it’s a lot to Putler because of how Symbolically significant it is

[@sheik.2636]

This journalist is terrific, I love his interview so much. He has that charisma that makes audience focus

[@paulohartgers9676]

Like NASA..?

[@thesaltbaron2237]

Bakhmut has been turned into a fortress since 2014. Losing it is like losing Helms Deep in LOTR.

[@kreb7]

No they haven't

[@alganis3339]

If we follow this logic at the end Isengard is destroy 😉

[@KarlHeinzSpock]

🤣🤣🤣 1) so the russians are the orks, according to lotr? 2) the russians aren't able to gain that much territory. at least they can overestimate the importance of an ordinary village that they might take after some 6 or 7 months of dying.

[@harmless6813]

Um. No. Helms Deep was a last stand kind of situation. Nothing really changes if Russia takes Bakhmut. They will then have Bakhmut and everything else will be the same.

[@thesaltbaron2237]

@@chrisviking7807 source= trust me bro 😅

[@KittenBowl1]

Haha Mike looks sharp here! 😆Much better than last time, clean shaven and buttoned up. 😅

[@climatehero]

Good analysis.

[@chrisviking7807]

Bakhmut nevertheless has tactical value, in that Ukraine are using it to deplete the best Russian units.

[@khiemone]

BEST and Russian obviously CAN'T be used in the same sentence, but otherwise they are making "sunflower fertilizer" out of the Russian Conscrips and Convicts!

[@realnapster1522]

Russia is just getting warmed up. Fresh troops and new equipment will arrive soon. And they still have huge stock of Iranian drones.

[@rons5319]

Just the opposite is happening. Ukraine is being depleted.

[@jessehachey2732]

@@realnapster1522 😂😂😂🤡 Slava 🇺🇦🌻

[@LogisticsWW]

@@realnapster1522 We've been hearing this from Kremlinbots for, quite literally, the entirety of the war lol. There is no warmup. This is it. This is likely the Russian military's last major offensive.

[@originalgangster7390]

Everyone wants the underground city size fortress of tunnels of a salt mine and I don't blame them

[@joshhencik1849]

Its the only way they can avoid the absolute supremacy of Ukraine's western arms support!

[@jonathanjacob5453]

0:25 correction. The city has been named the meat grinder because the life expectancy of a Ukrainian soldier is about 4 hours in Bakhmut.

[@davidquak4398]

Thats true.

[@polk2polk]

And that was said by a Ukrainian journalist

[@magatism]

If it's not important, why has Ukraine sacrificied thousands to keep it.

[@fredrik999z]

For Ukraine every meter of their country is important.

[@jeffthompson8551]

because they kill many more invasive orcs

[@Crottinger]

DW seems to be more objective about this war than most news outlets.

[@williambeck6575]

No it's not. It's the same as the rest.

[@spacegerrit9499]

@@williambeck6575 let me guess? 'ItS aLL NAtO'S FaULT!'

[@williambeck6575]

@@spacegerrit9499 Is that all you have to say? I'm telling you that it is indeed NATO's fault.

[@spacegerrit9499]

@@williambeck6575 'AbSOluTelY It IS!'

[@michaelmartel]

4@@spacegerrit9499 This opInion that you hold is absurd. So, Putin is just carrying out the will of NATO is it? Just as he had done with Chechnya? And, of course, this is what happened in the past with Russias following directives from NATO to invade Hungary and what was known then as Czechoslovakia?

[@Bradgilliswhammyman]

Think of Bahkmut as Bunker Hill. The American's lost that battle but cost the british army so much it ultimately helped in defeating them a year or so later.

[@peabase]

North Vietnam failed to win any battles against the *Americans, but still it won the war.

[@thesixth2330]

the first American strategic win despite being a tactical loss. It was more about the English illusion that their army couldn't even be fought by US irregulars and militiamen, let alone against a frontal formation. Casualties shocked the British into changing tactics for the rest of the war. Not really similar to Bakhmut though I can see how they are both significant. It would be more comparable to Verdun.

[@etheu9sby292]

It was a moral victory. Also the war lasted for 7 more years.

[@williamellis1370]

@@etheu9sby292 It was am American strategic victory also, in that the British remained bottled up in Boston, with battered forces. They were obliged to evacuate Boston the next year, and never came back. Not the war, but the Boston campaign, was won then - I think that was the point being made by Ken Havens above.

[@etheu9sby292]

@@williamellis1370 they took the high ground. I get the point. But Boston was won because Washington took the Dorchester heights then bluffed about blowing up their navy

[@franciskiunga4796]

Russia lost 36 tanks in bakhmut yesterday alone 👀and more hammered viechles😡👍

[@rons5319]

Tell us what Ukraine lost. Plenty more huh.

[@glintongordon6811]

Why do you still believe this bs

[@jemardbeejeezjinky8894]

They lost 4

[@moiseshuerta3984]

Ukraine don't even have any tanks left to lose. Ouch.

[@schloops8473]

@@rons5319 Igor going all in on his support of his fascist midget

[@nickwiz900]

Verdun mark 2?

[@MrChayl3]

Prighozin said bahkmut is not encircled and won't be taken tomorrow, he's contradicting the Russian defence spokesman saying bahkmut is encircled.

[@martinswan9175]

The cost is going to be Germany's credibility.

[@chuapg1518]

Germany had announced it would not send military hardwares to Ukraine. Perhaps it had enough of USA manipulation.

[@equinzy-]

How isn't important for strategic purposes? If Bakhmut falls, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are open

[@paullangford8179]

Bakhmut is NOT a transport nexus. Therefore, it is not important. It gives the Ukrainians the opportunity to bleed the Russians white...

[@danieldickson8591]

Not really. To cross the Donets River to reach Kramatorsk without having their supply lines cut, the Russians will first have to take the city of Lyman. To the south they'll have to take Konstantinivka and Drujhkivka to be able to encircle Slovyansk. All those cities have been heavily fortified, and if the Ukrainian army withdraws from Bakhmut they'll either be able to further strengthen the cities, or contribute to a counter-offensive.

[@carolmiller5713]

And a major supply road will be cut off.

[@Nebris]

Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are on high ground, heavily defended, and the land leading from Bakhmut is flat, open country. Look at how badly the Russians are doing in Vuhledar in a much small version of that situation.

[@neguseametih]

Meat grinder of no strategic value... How's that even possible when one side is pressing for fighter jets

[@rumpelstilzchen4202]

How tf has the stategic value of bakhmut anything to do with fighter jets. PLEASE AT LEAST TRY AT TROLLING!

[@tintinjailhouse1312]

And how Can it say its 3 weeks ago?!!

[@leelockwood3258]

Don't matter how important , it still belongs to Ukraine. God bless these men 🙏

[@alexanderpepkin4110]

Used to… they should have stopped provoking

[@Ivanna_Jerkov]

Since most of those men are dead, calling on God to bless them is pretty apropos.

[@leelockwood3258]

The living. Read it most agree ..

[@sardonumspa8413]

@@alexanderpepkin4110 Get attacked, fight back = provoking!" LOL Delusional

[@garettdoornwaard4822]

You're not paying attention if you think that. No matter who "wins" this war, the Ukraine is no longer the land of ukranians. Anything russia takes is theirs and the rest now belongs to the corporations who are sending sending all this "aide" to keep the war going and Ukrainians dying. Pay attention.

[@jorgenajera7077]

Mike Martin can't be that much of an expert if he confused the size of the entire russian armed forces that include the army, navy, air force, stratetic rockets and paratroopers (1,000,000 prewar) and just the russian army (300,000 prewar).

[@pikapika5301]

Remember DW is a German news channel. Can't go a video without a dig at the UK. 2 worlds wars and Brexit really hurt their feelings.

[@milenkoknezevic8143]

It will.

[@troyingram716]

David is not supposed to trade punches with Goliath. We need Michael to send cruise misells in from the arctic circle.

[@lensleymartin4002]

Go Ukraine go Ukraine go Ukraine

[@Kayasvadji]

To where? Lower back parts?

[@khubza8999]

You're proud and cheering for the destruction of a country???

[@Ultra_Ego_Putin]

More pounding from Russia later, somethings never change

[@dm-do7qz]

Good reporting team and announcers. Smart, professional good questions.

[@Flornmonk]

6:00 it's actually well over 1000 some days.

[@NoSuffix]

The more important thing for Ukraine is to keep her heroes alive for as long as possible so they can fight in many days to come. Try to put Ukrainian heroes at battlefields which offer the best advantage strategically, tactically, geologically and logistically.

[@caroquintero617]

Yeah, like they’re not going to get killed.

[@U.H8]

💙💙💙🙏🏻💛💛💛

[@joselugo4536]

...and propagandistically hollow.

[@khubza8999]

WAR MONGER.

[@marioformosa4259]

Well 157,000 Ukrainian heroes have died for the American Neocons according to Mossad. And that was weeks ago

[@daemonhunter100]

I get the feeling that UA wants Russia to focus on Bahkmut

[@khiemone]

I have a feeling the Ukraine KNOWS that FACT which is WHY they have restricted the number of forces they have sent to Bakhmut while preparing themselves for their Spring Offensive! All this while they are "neutralizing" and making sunflower fertilizer out of Russian Conscripts and Convicts!

[@chrisviking7807]

Time will tell.

[@danielhady3021]

It's essentially a meat grinder. The Russians are having to exhaust a lot of men, material, and equipment taking the city and the surrounding land, for a city/town without much strategic value. Ukraine is able to dig in a punish the Russians for having to advance in. As long as they withdraw at some point and minimize losses, this will work out in Ukraine's favor.

[@osk2689]

@@danielhady3021 both sides are suffering tremendous losses

[@olafsigursons]

@@danielhady3021 Lysishanks 2.0. Only smaller.

[@naponroy]

Nick was surprisingly coherent today. Looks like he had a night in last night.

[@gaborrajnai6213]

Of course it has a strategic importance. There is their army to destroy, for god's sake....

[@Ultra_Ego_Putin]

Stay praying on your knees

[@gregsscubavids5128]

Great reporting even w o direct access. Thanks.

[@jarrettbobbett5230]

Yes maybe even for years.

[@banusiva1329]

So bahkmut is not a important city anymore 🤨🤭😏🤷

[@HAODIDI]

Soon the whole ukraine will not be important anymore 😂 mind games lol

[@danieldickson8591]

@@HAODIDI No it won't, not after Russia collapses.

[@danieldickson8591]

It never was. The Wagner Group was contracted for this part of the front lines, so making some kind of gain was symbolically important to Prigozhin to enhance his prestige within the Russian hierarchy.

[@LogisticsWW]

Anymore? It never has been lol, not in the strategic sense.

[@shovonhasan7404]

@@danieldickson8591 Russia will collapse with some nuke to Nato. No Ukraine will exist then. Now be happy.

[@bashaabysinia]

Why is it so fierce if not important?

[@robertg8565]

“Amateurs talk strategy and professionals talk logistics”

[@chuapg1518]

Civilians talk about war and soldiers talk about peace.

[@robertg8565]

@@chuapg1518 I’m a civilian now, but I wasn’t always. Yes, nobody wants to send anyone to their deaths. Imagine 5 missions being executed and 4/5 are diversionary or open the path for the other ones. That means who ever died on the 4 died because they just unlucky. Being a military officer and having to make difficult choices including who lives and dies is extremely difficult. That’s why most military officers hate war. This is different, this is someone in your home, you fight or you die and if you don’t fight the men will be killed and the women will be used as sex slaves. The trends of the 40,000+ war crimes of this war already display an outcome where the war is lost. Look up what’s happening in the filtration camps. Then get back to me.

[@chuapg1518]

@@robertg8565 You might have explained why no hundred of thousands of American and British professional soldiers in Ukraine, fighting against Russia after USA and Britain had given guarantee security agreements to Ukraine years ago, while Ukraine would fight till the last abled Ukrainian.

[@patmurphy8378]

If Ukraine is winning this battle why are they running away?

[@jojob_clips269]

Their strategy is to exhaust and inflict casualties to the Russians as much as possible. They are aware they have to withdraw from from Bakhmut sooner or later.

[@bryanmoyna9715]

Because you dont need to go kamikaze to wina battle.

[@user-hn9lr1bp6c]

@@bryanmoyna9715 If you can't do it, pretend that you don't need it.

[@bryanmoyna9715]

@@user-hn9lr1bp6c Hey alright.

[@kreb7]

pyrrhic victory if they even achieve it

[@giacomogiacomo1194]

How? Russia just bombed the Ukrainians before sending the Wagner fighters. These reports of Russian losses are mere hoaxes how on earth the media able to count those losses?.🤣

[@eliasziad7864]

Nope, not really, Ukraine has been suffering staggering losses in bakhmut.

[@kreb7]

@Elias Ziad Source ? Because the Rusians are attacking, thus exposed to fire without cover. Were Ukrainians in the defence are converted shooting. The atacker always have more loses than defender

[@lambertlum1087]

@@eliasziad7864 Ukrainians hide in defensive positions to minimize casualties. Russians have to emerge from trenches to take land. If they fail to take the land, then everybody is dead on the field. Then the next wave of Russians hope they have better luck, or die trying. It is unavoidable that Russians must suffer more casualties. Bakhmut's capture must be paid with much Russian blood.

[@karlhungusjr1]

@@eliasziad7864 no they haven't.

[@ridgecrestwack9746]

How does a spring offensive start in the winter?

[@epuchildren8780]

Ukraine will start a Summer offense. One step ahead of the Russians.

[@pogo1140]

You prep for the offensive in winter

[@paullangford8179]

My roses are starting to bud: spring has come very early this year.

[@ridgecrestwack9746]

@@paullangford8179 nothing is budding in Ukraine. Ground is still snowed in in many regions

[@Londronable]

Snow will start melting next week.

[@wegder]

Stalin is one of the most admired persons in Russia. The Soviet mind is back in full force.

[@PNW_Chemist]

Glad to see Mike Martin finally combed his hair! Just joking around. He is a brilliant mind.

[@freeliberty5996]

I join that Grandmother.. Someone please make peace.. 🌹🌹

[@nozhki-busha]

ask Putin to leave Ukraine and there can be peace talks.

[@Ultra_Ego_Putin]

No no Russia fighting for democracy they did nothing wrong, they were threatened

[@yl9154]

A bunch of thugs on drugs invade your house, shoot you wife, for no reason. Then shoot your kid. And then your next kid.The killing is giving those losers a power trip. How are you going to make peace? You assume rationality and morality where there is none. Putin is on a power trip, war is making him stronger, the population is forgetting its internal troubles and focusing on the war. Among many things, their will now blame their frozen pensions on the war, not on Putin. Why should he make peace when he can blame all his failures on the war and stay in power?

[@dominushydra]

@@nozhki-busha bro there ain't gonna be any peace after this. Russia signed its own death sentence.

[@rakeshkandwal3465]

Russia never back

[@carlorepetto8983]

Your news is absolutely exceptional. It is the very best news of all the other web news channels that I watch. Thank you so much.!!!!!!

[@Denis1104]

Camera man ran, Grandmother stayed put. She's already that desensitized :(

[@zoom777]

At the cost of gaining more land

[@Kreiger778]

Bakmut is important because Ukraine forces are there. They make it important. And Russia wants All of Donestk. So they're all important cities.

[@buravan1512]

BAKHMUT is a part of DOMBAS.

[@pavelslutsky3114]

@@buravan1512 DoNNNbass.

[@cordellmohawk8408]

What cost Ukraine loses just to hold Bakhmut

[@45641560456405640563]

Generally in such a situation such as this the attacker takes more casualties.

[@chrisviking7807]

Bakhmut is like a fortress, ergo it will cost Russia a heck of a lot more to take it!

[@cordellmohawk8408]

@@chrisviking7807 Ukraine sacrificing their un-train men to hold it when they do retreat they well use them to let the train units get out and leave them behind

[@Londronable]

@@cordellmohawk8408 All videos I've seen from the retreat seems to indicate that the retreat in the North happens rather orderly.(In the South Ukraine is gaining ground). They're rather well fortified further West to prevent any type of total incircelment.

[@cordellmohawk8408]

@@Londronable Sure some units do but not all the fog of war some units in Soledar retreated on a road that Russia controlled and their vehicles were destroyed and south its a back an forth

[@DivoAminotorsKarpasitor]

As someone who has seen the horrors of war firsthand, I implore all parties involved in the conflict to seek peaceful solutions and avoid further bloodshed.

[@kellychuba]

after Russia leaves, of course

[@The69bombero]

I think the Russians are just getting started, and the Ukrainians are at the end of their rope. It would make sense for Ukraine to look for a way out, not so much for Russian. If you are winning a fight you don't mind how long it takes. The end will be the same, pound your opponent till he cant fight for a long time. That way you dont have to be looking over your shoulder for a long time.

[@pettan9867]

It sounds like the Bakhmut strategy could be a smoke curtain for a new offensive by Ukraine, remember Cherson

[@live_free_or_perish]

My thought too

[@carolmiller5713]

Exactly, Deflection for another more important location.

[@danieldickson8591]

Excellent point. Ukrainian tactics have been quite impressive up to now. I think we can rely on them to continue to prosecute the war intelligently.

[@bingbong6127]

@@danieldickson8591 yes, mariupol was very impressive, the Russians at least understand the basics of an orderly retreat as opposed to ukranians which would rather get a big chunk of their troop encircled and slaughtered

[@chuapg1518]

Maybe. Russia strategic ambition is more obvious, all of Donbass region.

[@lavictoireestanous]

This is completely ignorant: The “spring offensive” has not begun. You will notice better when it has begun. What we see now is some initiatives that are carried out to bind UA Forces and shape positions for later advances.

[@dominushydra]

Russia won't advance when UAF gets those Western Tanks and Jets.

[@lavictoireestanous]

@@dominushydra Wow.. a fortune teller))) Good luck!

[@dominushydra]

@@lavictoireestanous I don't need to be psychic to know Russia is a garbage military.

[@epluribusu9430]

This presenter speaks as if the listener is sitting next to him in a theater. One step from a hushed voice.

[@TMM-N]

“Not much progress?” Wagner is capturing more and more land

[@leecudmore-ray6697]

inch by inch.

[@raymaster]

you must have missed the comments from the head cook himself complaining about having to retreat and how russian armed forces are to blame for their inability to advance and take the city.... Or are his comments on the advancement of his personal militia lies? he a agent of the west now?

[@Russo-Delenda-Est]

You miss bald pigman's speech? He was just whining about how they can't do it, how they don't have the ammo or the men, how they need help from the regular forces... 🤣🙂😁🇺🇸🇺🇦

[@Londronable]

I mean, they lost the hills in the South and gained a bit in the North. Strategically the hills are more important so today might be the first time they actually made a big loss territory wise and then you post this. Bad timing.

[@johndodson8464]

Waste land. Ukraine gives up an acre of wilderness. Russia gives up an infantry of soldiers.

[@YG-zv3me]

Love the new haircut Mike! you look very handsome😍🤩

[@sergioaugusto416]

Desperation is kicking in at DW

[@bryanmoyna9715]

Wars are won in the battlefield and the negotiation tables, whatever propagandists say is inconsequential to either side.

[@solomontesfaye4876]

Winning cost

[@shanebolden754]

I'm from Texas. Sam Houston took a page from Napoleon, when fighting a larger army you make them chance you and logistically they will not be able to withstand it. The battle at San jacinto only lasted 17 minutes for us to take TX.

[@calum5164]

Literally so delusional to say it's not strategic

[@olafsigursons]

It's as strategic as Lysishank.

[@paullangford8179]

It is tactical, not strategic. Bakhmut has no real worth in the scheme of the war, but it makes a good place to gouge the Russians until they run out of troops and ammunition. Then when there is a better purpose for the Ukrainian troops, they'll nick off someplace else and do real damage there, leaving just the wreckage behind.

[@yusafusmani7823]

If its not strategic and only symbolic, why sacrifice so many lives for its defence! oh yes, the leaders and their children are safe some where else - as with nearly all wars. Lives are more important that symbolic gestures!

[@chuapg1518]

It might not be symbolic gesture. If Bakhmut falls, Donbass region would likely be conquered by Russia and Putin could claim victory.

[@wstbassdjfreestyle6500]

This is tooomuch. Stop war

[@amertestas5044]

M60 old tanks (swap with TW), M198 howitzers are welcome

[@rohanrocks1826]

Amazing - the way DW spins everything in Fabius of Ukraine-:)

[@TommyTCGT]

Well, all G press is cia controlled, according to a G reporter, who then suddenly had a heart attack.

[@rainieresguerra4780]

In the last 4 weeks, the sustained Russian offensive in the entire front has resulted in the complete capture by Russia of less than 10 settlements.

[@rons5319]

How many would they have captured if Ukraine wasn't given nato weapons. That is exactly why Putin is destroying Ukraines army and will not allow them to reconstitute it. EVER.

[@rainieresguerra4780]

@@rons5319 Well, unfortunately for Putin, NATO is supplying weapons to Ukraine. And the Russian army is getting attrited as well. The longer this war lasts, the weaker the russian military becomes. The FRS is even in danger of disintegrating in the near future.

[@joaquinlepiz3858]

@@rainieresguerra4780 most of those new promise weapons are not even in production yet. Before you ask I look it up in the pentagon briefing when they were discussing their latest arm package.

[@jonathanjacob5453]

0:07 "Analysts say the city is not strategically important." 🤔fact check please.

[@cdes68]

They cannot replace their high end assets.

[@barok7428]

If pregozhin is eyeing to be the next boss for Donbas, in any cost the Russians will capture that city. And bakhmut has "no significance" probably but looking into the map, that's the last big city for Donetsk so capturing bakhmut is like owning Donetsk in it's essence, no wonder they have been trying to captured it for more than 6mos now

[@bryanmoyna9715]

I highly doubt hes gonna survive the war. Once he isnt needed anymore, all the people hes been antagonizing are gonna cannibalize him alive. Full medieval style.

[@roygalvez6691]

If it were only symbolic, the parties would not have invested so much time, lives and ammunition in conquering it. The truth is that Bakhmut is the main containment wall of the only line of defense capable to stop the Russian army but It has become a meat grinder for the Ukrainian army due to the huge superiority of Russian artillery fire.

[@enriqueperezarce5485]

If that superiority of Russian artillery fire was true this would’ve been Siverodonestk all over again. Truth is Russian artillery advantage has diminished as we seen reports from both sides stating less artillery shells in coming from the Russians. Russia is a artillery army, so that’s why they haven’t been able to spam fire control for offensive actions, but make no mistake they can spam it for defensive actions

[@roygalvez6691]

@@enriqueperezarce5485 Daily average artillery shells from the Russians around 60,000, from the Ukrainian army around 6,000 ten times less. Nato ammunition stocks almost depleted but if you'd rather listen this from an expert go in YT to Straight Calls with Col. Douglas MacGregor and listen to him. Ukrainian army is crushed and there is nothing NATO can do to change the otcome of this war at least in a conventional way.

[@enriqueperezarce5485]

@@roygalvez6691 That was Russian average in June July and August. Your information is outdated hence why I said since Siverodonestk. Also the Ukrainian army isn’t crushed just like the Russian one isn’t (although the Russian one is limping to even conduct offensive movements.

[@roygalvez6691]

@@enriqueperezarce5485 Did you listen to Jens Stoltenberg, if you didn't, look for it. All inventories are gone, no ammunition to provide Ukraine with, while the Ukraine army is being annihilated, that's current reality.

[@pedrol.gonzalez6537]

AUNQUE MUCHOS NOTICIEROS NO LO SABEN SOLO LA VERDAD INFORMA REALMENTE.

[@roselynjrserrano970]

Clear.

[@charlesphillips1468]

Bakhmut has become like Verdun in WWI. It will probably play out about the same way.

[@johnstacy7902]

Good hunting guys! Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@purushothamyadav6265]

😂😂 hunters must ready to hide or runaway from forest, because it's lions roaming hours

[@DawnArrives]

Why can’t we all get along 🎉?

[@oddish2253]

The pragmatism of the Mongols is that they're willing to sacrifice their treasure hoarde for a better tactical position.

[@moiseshuerta3984]

Haha. No one liked your racist German Natsi comment.