Civilians flee Bakhmut as possible Ukrainian troop withdrawal looms

AP vis PBS ^ | 4 March 2023 | staff reporting

[SisterK]

if George Soros is for it, then I am against it

[bravo whiskey]

The Germans called Cauldrons kessels.

[MinorityRepublican]

🇷🇺 have made advances in southern Bakhmut, to the north of Opytne.

[Kazan]

Ukraine is the side fleeing Bakhmut. It has no choice:

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.

That is why the Ukrainian government has send ten thousands of its troops to fight and die for that city.

###

Russian source report death per week at a lower rate than Ukrainian death per day. The ratio is again about 10 Ukrainians for 1 Russian.

I have said for a while that Bakhmut was in operational encirclement. Russian artillery could reach its last roads in and out. Since three days ago Bakhmut is in tactical encirclement. Russian direct fire, i.e. tank guns and hand held anti-tank missiles, can now cover all of Bakhmut's supply routes. They will shot at any car that attempts to drive there. Its one reason why the reported deaths have harshly increased.

Should the Ukraine decide to order its soldiers to stay in Bakhmut the city will be physically encircled. All roads will be blocked not only by fire but by heavily armed Russian checkpoints. The Ukrainian soldiers in Bakhmut, several thousands still seem to be there, will then be left with only two options: surrender or die.

[caww]

There were video interviews ‘a few weeks ago’ of the very few residents remaining in Bakhmut City who attested to the fact how few there were left. Furthr saying most had evacuated sometime ago as there was no water, electricity etc. plus the danger of military shellings. So it’s not like the community was fleeing in mass at this time.

[caww]

Videos I watched were of Ukrainian soldiers walking thru fields in retreat with Ukraine bodies strewn throughout. On video was of the tearful soldier filming it. I'm sure most are glad to be leaving but seeing the carnage along the way certainly would give a deep sense of defeat regardless of how long they held out - the cost of that holding out was way too much. ......It was a bottle-neck which just kept squeezing tighter....

[marcusmaximus]

Putin en route to Sochi for his cancer treatments right now.

[marcusmaximus]

What Dr. Selivanov doink in Sochi?