Russia has intensified its shelling of Bakhmout in the hope of taking control by Tuesday, the Ukrainian general in charge of protecting the city besieged by the Russian army said Sunday night, adding that he would do everything possible to prevent such an outcome. .
Tuesday, May 9, is one of the main national holidays in Russia, commemorating the victory over Germany in 1945.
“It is important to make decisions as quickly as possible and anticipate the actions of the enemy,” General Oleksandre Syrskyi said via Telegram messaging service after surrendering to Ukrainian troops on the front line in Bakhmout.
“The Russians still hope to take the city by May 9. Our mission is to prevent that,” he said, adding that the Russian military had intensified shelling with heavy weapons and started using the latest equipment.
symbolic city
The city of Bakhmout has symbolic value for both sides. Moscow also sees it as a springboard for offensives against other Ukrainian cities, while kyiv sees preserving this front as essential for launching a counteroffensive.
Contrary to what he had previously announced, the head of the Russian Wagner paramilitary group, which works alongside Russian forces in Bakhmout, said on Sunday that he had no intention of withdrawing from the city on Wednesday.
Wagner’s boss has for months accused the Russian General Staff of not providing enough ammunition. his men to deprive them of a victory at Bakhmout, which would dwarf the regular army.
Source: BFM TV
