Why is da Ukraine so determined to hold it?
Despite massive casualties?
“The Russian Army is long but not strong. We will eat them slowly like a salami. Slice by slice.”
That’s been the Ukrainian strategy from day one, and Bakhmut has been one of their most effective salami slicing stations for months now.
Because it's their home.
It's a damned shame, Russia and Ukraine could have had a mutually beneficial and fruitful fraternal relationship, and patched up history's wounds, like France and Germany, if not for that asshole, Putin. Of course, Biden practically invited him to invade.
Why is da Ukraine so determined to hold it?
Despite massive casualties?
Mostly, offensive operations have a greater toll than defensive. You would expect, especially with positioned defenses, to loose at least 2:1 while attacking. Holding it bleeds the Russians at a greater rate. They apparently want the position, so let them impale themselves on the defenses. If the defenders have massive casualties, the attackers are suffering catastrophic ones.
The same reason the French held Verdun in 1916.
Analysts are baffled.