The US Department of Defense has repeatedly emphasized that Bakhmut in Donetsk region is not of strategic importance, but Russian troops are trying to occupy it and constantly cover the battles for the city in their media, because they have nothing more to report in the context of the war against Ukraine.
About this during the briefing stated Pentagon spokesman Ned Price.
When asked by a journalist whether it is possible to consider that Bakhmut “almost fell”, Price replied that he was not ready to give such an assessment.
He added that from the first hours of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it was clear that the war would end in a strategic failure for Russia.
“And yes, we were clearly aware that there would be difficult days ahead. The struggle, although it had subsided somewhat during the winter months, continued to rage, primarily in the east and south. Both sides achieved gradual success. We expect this momentum to continue. The only reason why a town like Bakhmut, which I believe has very little strategic importance, is in the news, in the headlines, is because the Russians have nothing left to point to in over 12 months of this brutal invasion, their own brutal aggression,” said Ned Price.
According to him, if the Russians had achieved at least some success in a full-scale war against Ukraine, Bakhmut would not have received such attention.
“Ukrainians are making great efforts. In our opinion, the strategic course of this invasion is set in stone. It will be a strategic failure for Russia. The Ukrainians demonstrated that they are able not only to resist the advancing Russian troops, but also to return the territory they took. That won’t change,” Price summed up.
