Posted on 03/04/2023 9:43:01 AM PST by elpadre
Ukrainian forces are pulling out of Bakhmut and the battle for the small Donetsk city is nearly finished. So what happens next?
There appear to be two stages to the Bakhmut pullout. The first started perhaps a month ago, though that isn’t certain. The troops pulled out comprised foreign fighters and Yellow Armband troops.
The Russians say they have not seen any foreign fighters for about a month. Most of these were said to be from Georgia and Abkhazia. (Abkhazia is the area in Georgia carved out by the Russians and declared an independent entity.)
The Yellow Armband troops are professional and well-trained Ukrainian “heavy” military units. They have mostly been used on the flanks protecting the city of Bakhmut, trying to stop the Russian encirclement.
Within the city are so-called Green Armband troops. They are not well trained and are mostly recent conscripts. Mainly they carry small arms, which they fire from buildings and other covered positions. Many of them are underage or, alternatively, overage.
According to Yevgeny Prighozin, head of the Wagner Group paramilitary organization, the Green Armbands are starting to leave the city, having already pulled out from most of the eastern parts. Reports say they are either using a country road or walking across farm fields.
As it now stands, the end of the battle is at most a few days away, although the Ukrainians have launched a counteroffensive to the west and south of a town called Ivanivske. The operation may be meant to hold off a wider encirclement of Ukrainian forces that the Russians appear to have launched.
(Excerpt) Read more at asiatimes.com ...
excerpted:
“..If there were a public announcement of a decision supporting Nuland, Blinken would likely have a heart attack – but the US is sending long-range bombs and artillery as well as bridging equipment essential to attack Crimea. If such an attack is not envisioned, the Ukrainians don’t need this kit.
Meanwhile, there seems to be very little coherent US opposition to the unfolding scenario of what could quickly become a general war in Europe...”
This is all so stupid. NATO lost. Lick your wounds and go home.
.
It’s been said Bakhmut was a strategic area. Why? There was something about terrain past it was free of obstacles for the Russians.
But there are not tall mountains or large swamps nearby. So what was so important about this town?
“...Lick your wounds and go home...”
Any chance of the Biden/Nuland tag team doing that??
So Nuland the subordinate overruled her boss Blinken. And coming off a defeat in Bakhmut, she thinking they should do a frontal assault on Crimea, like the Brits, French and Nazis did with huge war machines and long heavy efforts. But all the hollow Ukes army will need is a few small diameter bombs and jets flying high over S400 batteries.
I used to think the Russians might think Nuland the Uke anchor baby might be a legitimate target. But I think they might be better served b u her setting policy.
That is as bat sh$t crazy as China saying that Hawaii must be demilitarized.
Nuland is a danger to the safety of every American.
“ Ukrainian forces are pulling out of Bakhmut and the battle for the small Donetsk city is nearly finished…”
**********************************************************
I wouldn’t be so sure of that. The taunts by the Wagner leader may have actually worked and SUCKERED Zelensky into ordering his forces to stay in those kill zones.
“But there are not tall mountains or large swamps nearby. So what was so important about this town?”
Obviously Ukraine considered it critical, and so did Russia.
As to whether they’re right, we’ll know soon enough. As I see it, if Russia picks up a lot of new real estate after Bakhmut is fully liberated, then it was very important. I say give it a month - if Russia just sits in place and does nothing, then Bakhmut was critical.
...then Bakhmut was NOT critical.
copied:
“Bakhmut is of course of strategic value. It is covering the crossing of three major train lines and four major roads (M-03, M-32, T-13-02, T-05-13). As such it is the linchpin of the whole Donbas region. Besides that it also has some valuable mineral mines.”
For the Russians the main thing about it is that it’s a kill box roach motel for the Uke military and if it glass it opens the road straight onto Slavyansk for liberation of that town and a few final corners of Donbass. The Ukes want out because they want to conquer all of Donbass and they think if they can get that they can attack Crimea, or at least cut off the land bridge.
And there appears to be no US interests at all except for the defense industry and their congressmen they own.
So here we are.
In true propaganda style, they ended this sentence without explaining that the AFU fled the city under a hail of Russian artillery
“NATO lost. Lick your wounds and go home.”
Russia loses half their main battle tanks to Ukraine, not NATO.
If Nato and the US were there, this would be over in 3 weeks. Russia is a rogue and supid country, but they are not that stupid. They won’t mess with NATO.
Bkmk
“Bakhmut is of course of strategic value. It is covering the crossing of three major train lines and four major roads (M-03, M-32, T-13-02, T-05-13). As such it is the linchpin of the whole Donbas region. Besides that it also has some valuable mineral mines.”
Thanks, I saw the same. I just didn’t want to go there as the Ukraine Cheerleaders wouldn’t be capable of acknowledging that...but rolling up some big areas of land, and they’re beat!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.