The fall of Bakhmut does not mean that Russia changed the course of the war – #fall #Bakhmut #Russia #changed #war

AMMAN, March 6 (Reuters) – USADefense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday of Ukraine said that the eastern city of Bakhmut was more symbolic than operational and that its fall would not mean that Moscow would retake the initiative in the war.

The battle for Bakhmut has been going on for seven months. A Russian victory in the town, which had a pre-war population of about 70,000 but is now in ruins, would give Moscow the first major prize in a costly winter offensive.

“I think it’s more of a symbolic value than a strategic and operational value,” Austin told reporters during a visit to Jordan.

“The fall of Bakhmut will not mean that the Russians have turned the tide of this battle,” he said, adding that he would not predict when or if Bakhmut would fall.

Russia artillery is pounding the last routes out of the city to end the siege, but the founder of the Wagner mercenary force leading the attack said his troops were being outgunned by Moscow.

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Austin said Ukraine if his forces decided to shift positions west of Bachmut, he would not consider it a strategic failure.

Wagner often operates autonomously from, or even in competition with, the regular army – and in a video released over the weekend, Prigozhin complained that Moscow had not delivered the ammunition it had promised him.

Prigogine regularly military criticizes the hierarchy and last month accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and others of “treason” for stockpiling ammunition.

Austin pointed to differences between Wagner and the military, saying, “I think the cracks are there…

“I would say “Wagner” forces Russia was somewhat effective compared to its forces… If we say so, we Russia we have not seen the exemplary performance of the forces”.

Report by Idrees Ali; Edited by Toby Chopra and Kevin Liffey

Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Idris Ali

Thomson Reuters

Focusing on the Pentagon in Washington national security reporter USAof all over the world military about its activities and operations and their impact report gives He reported from more than two dozen countries covering Iraq, Afghanistan, and much of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. From Karachi, Pakistan.

2023-03-06 15:35:48
Source – reuters

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