[キーウ／マリンカ（ウクライナ） １４日 ロイター] – On the 14th, the Russian army continued its attack on Bakhmut, a strategic point in Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. As the first year of the all-out offensive approaches, Russian forces are expected to ramp up operations across much of southern and eastern Ukraine, launching new major offensives.
“There is no safe place in Bakhmut that is not within range of Russian forces or drones,” Donetsk governor Pablo Kirilenko told Ukrainian state television, referring to the Donbass region, which is Russia’s main target along with Lugansk. It said it was carrying out heavy attacks along all fronts in Donetsk oblast, which make up the
If the Russian army captures Bakhmut, it is seen as a stepping stone to advance into the main cities of Kramatorsk and Slavyansk in the Donetsk region.
Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the U.S. National Security Council (NSC), said that while Russian forces were making headway in the fighting at Bakhmut, even taking Bakhmut “would have a strategic impact on the overall war.” No,” he said.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin said he expects Ukraine to launch an offensive once morest Russian forces in the spring. He said the Russian military is sending many recruits to the battlefield, but many are undertrained and ill-equipped.
Western countries said their support for Ukraine was unwavering at a meeting of the countries to discuss the defense assistance to Ukraine at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels.
