Kyiv's troops advance around Bakhmut after Wagner chief dismissed 'absurd' Russian claims about huge Ukrainian losses and Western officials cast doubts over Putin's defences as counteroffensive begins

Daily Mail ^ | 6/6/2023 | Rachel Bunyan

[marcusmaximus]

Ukrainian forces have advanced on Bakhmut, Kyiv's deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said, describing the embattled city as the 'epicentre of hostilities'.

Ms Maliar said Kyiv's troops had 'some success' on the battlefield surrounding Bakhmut and they are 'advancing on a wide front', but she dismissed suggestions of a major operation.

'The main focus now is on the Bakhmut sector,' she said. 'This has resulted in certain successes, including advances. We have taken control of certain heights.'

-snip-

News of the Ukrainian advances came after the head of Russia's feared paramilitary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, slammed claims by the Russian defence ministry that it had killed 1,500 of Kyiv's soldiers in two days as 'absurd science fiction'.

-snip-

In remarks published on the Telegram channel of his press service, the 61-year-old said to kill that many Ukrainian troops would require daily gains of 150km (93 miles).

'I therefore believe that this is simply wild and absurd science fiction,' said Prigozhin.

[marcusmaximus]

[Red Badger]

I DON’T KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE IN THIS, SO I DON’T BELIEVE ANYBODY ON THIS................

[aMorePerfectUnion]

BREAKING!

Ukraine changes mind.
Bakhmut is very important again!

[JoSixChip]

Who you going to believe, the consistently caught lying Ukrainians, or the almost always proven right Russians? One is a serious country and the other is a corrupt joke.

[davidb56]

Both lie. Ukraine is also the reason Biden is in office. They had the opportunity to exonerate Trump during the phone impeachment hearings, and didnt.

[Magnum44]

or the almost always proven right Russians?

[Kazan]

How counteroffensive for Ukraine going? It looks like the Ukrainians need some of that Viagra you use when you're viewing pictures of Putin with his shirt off.

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/06/nova-kakhova-dam-breach.html#more

Quoting the above Washington Post piece Andrew Korybko points to a possible motive for today's demolishing of the dam:

"[Kovalchuk's] remark about how “the step remained a last resort” is pertinent to recall at present considering that the first phase of Kiev’s NATO-backed counteroffensive completely failed on Monday according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Just like Ukraine launched its proxy invasion of Russia in late May to distract from its loss in the Battle of Artyomovsk, so too might does it seem to have gone through with Kovalchuk’s planned war crime to distract from this most recent embarrassment as well."

The most recent embarrassment was the failure of yesterday's attack near Novodarovka and Levadnoye. As the Russian Ministry of Defense noted in a special statement:

"As a result of active and self-sacrificing actions of the Vostok Group of Forces, which displayed courage and heroism, the enemy has been stopped, and the set tasks haven’t been achieved. The AFU formations and military units suffered significant losses.

Total AFU losses in South Donetsk direction were over 1,500 Ukrainian servicemen, 28 tanks, including FRG-manufactured 8 Leopard tanks, three French-manufactured AMX-10 wheeled tanks, and 109 armoured fighting vehicles."

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks marcusmaximus.

[Magnum44]

It looks like the Ukrainians need some of that Viagra you use when you're viewing pictures of Putin with his shirt off.

You really must be in 7th grade...

[Williams]

I don’t know, didn’t you tell us Ukraine lost after Bachmut, did you mention they were going back into the city?

And your other liars told us the Ukraine army was “obliterated “.

You have nothing honest or intelligent to offer.

[Kazan]

It's Marcus that keeps posting pictures of Putin with his shirt off, not me.

Marcus is propagandist and clown.

[caww]

Latest is Ukraines “probe” was quickly pushed back. But Ukraine will never say so.

[marcusmaximus]

What Zaporizhia doink?

[Grzegorz 246]

“Who you going to believe, the consistently caught lying Ukrainians, or the almost always proven right Russians?”

Yeah, sinking Moskva, killing rus generals and all that stuff. Lying Ukes again and again. Russians almost always proven right and stronk as feck !

[Sunsong]

Wrong, all Ukrainian land is important to Ukraine and Ukrainians

as are all Ukrainian lives

[aMorePerfectUnion]

No, in this case, you miss the point of my post.

It was important.
Then when they were losing, it wasn’t that important
Then when it appeared they were winning, it was important
Then when they lost, it was unimportant.
Now, they are attacking because it is important.

[Sunsong]

again

all Ukrainian land and all the Ukrainian people are important to Ukraine and Ukrainians

try and understand THAT point

(Bakhmut in itself is not militarily significant)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Agree on #1 - though not all Ukrainians
Disagree on #2