Bakhmut-Ukraine-January 22, 2023

In conjunction with Kiev's constant appeals for defensive weapons

Especially the "tanks", the Russian army, over the past hours, has intensified its actions on all fronts of the fighting in Ukraine

On the ground, according to military experts, Moscow has come close to tightening its grip on Bakhmut, which has witnessed bloody battles over the past months, but on the other side, the Western camp expects a counterattack by Ukraine to compensate for the losses of the past hours.

The Russian army, with the help of the "Wagner" forces over the past days, has achieved progress and expansion on all fronts of the fighting raging in the East, in particular the axes of Bakhmut and Zaporizhia.

To clarify the situation on the ground, Russian military expert Shatilov minikaev says that "the only solution to stop the militarization of Ukraine and the continuation of the western and American support operation is to resolve that military operation and cut off all roads that feed Ukraine with weapons.

Minikaev points out that the Russian army has achieved the following:

Advance towards the village of krasnopolye, near the city of Solidar.

Control of klishevka, a small town south of Bakhmut (eastern Ukraine).

In the Donetsk axis, Russia's troops took control of the village of dvorich in the "Donetsk Republic", and the Ukrainian army suffered huge losses.

In the Zaporozhye axis, Russia was able to take control at a depth of 7 kilometers and liberate several areas.

Control of the small village of lobkovye located near the Dnipro river, southeast of Zaporizhia.

"The delay in the implementation of the recent promises of Western support to Kiev is caused not only by the split in NATO, but also by the decline in the stocks of weapons in the warehouses of the West,"minnikaev adds.

He considers that this "pushed the west to realize the seriousness of their situation now amid the Russian advance, and to continue the military operation in which they tried to drain Moscow".

The Russian military expert emphasizes that "with the recent victory of Solidar, the rhythm of the Russian field advance will become faster than before, and the H-32 international road will be controlled, which connects the cities of konstantinivka, drozhkivka, Kramatorsk and Slavyansk".

"Russia is desperately defending control of Bakhmut, through (Wagner), Turning the battles at the contact line completely into an inner-city guerrilla war and luring Ukrainian troops,"explains Ukrainian military official of the Donbass front, Svyatoslav Podolak.

"The expected Western support will turn the equation on that front, provided that it is obtained quickly, before the fall of Bakhmut, which Wagner forces are trying to blockade and cut off all roads, "adds Podolak.

In the wake of the raging battles near the strategic Bakhmut, a US official called on the Ukrainian army"not to seek to defend the city in the east of the country, and to focus more on preparing for a major counteroffensive against Russia".

"The priority given to the fighting in Bakhmut hinders Ukraine in its main task of preparing a strategic offensive against the Russians in the south of the country during the spring,"said a senior official in the administration of US President Joe Biden.

The official also considered that Ukraine should take advantage of the armament and training programs run by Washington, to form more highly qualified units and employ them in launching an offensive in the South.

For Ukrainians, Bakhmut is a bulwark for the defense of the rest of Donetsk.

From them, strikes are directed towards Russian positions in the Ukrainian parts under their control.

The importance of Bakhmut for Russia was strengthened after the loss of the city of Izyum south of the northern Kharkiv region in mid-September, where it became the almost only Southeastern gateway for the advance of its forces deep into Donetsk province, especially towards the main cities under Ukrainian control.