The Kremlin leader planned to capture Bakhmut by February 24, the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops will defend Bakhmut for as long as is reasonable. This was announced on Sunday, February 19, by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Ser.
The President stressed that it is important for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend the city, but not “at any cost.”
“Yes, it’s not a particularly big city. Actually, like many others in Donbass that the Russians destroyed. We’ll fight as long as it’s reasonable, the Russians want to continue to Kramatorsk and Slavyansk, until the border of Donbass and the Dnieper, if they can. We are resisting, and in the meantime, we are preparing the next counterattack,” explained the head of state.
The journalist asked if Ukraine could afford the protracted war that Putin is preparing.
in turn, Zelensky said that Ukraine was preparing for a short war and its own victory, and that the Russians would never be able to occupy Ukraine.
“The Russians have not yet realized that we are stronger today than last year, and they will not succeed in taking over Ukraine, as they hoped,” he said.
“We are preparing for a short war and for our victory. The faster it is, the fewer casualties we will have. In 2014, the conflict was frozen, and it did not work for us. The Minsk agreements gave gave Putin time to prepare for a surprise attack last year, we will not fall into the same trap again Our soldiers are more motivated because they are protecting their families, their homes.
On the other hand, we see that the economic sanctions against Moscow are a big help, they give us time and space for self-regulation,” added the head of state.
The Russian invaders actively attacked Bakhmut for a long time, but Ukrainian military personnel held the line. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the attack on Bakhmut was led by the Russian PMC Wagner.
Recall that on February 16, the occupiers launched an artillery strike on the residential area of Bakhmut, killing five people.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.