Continuing their heavy bombardment, Russian artillery targeted the last exit routes from Bakhmut in recent hours as the siege pressed on. Kyiv estimates a major strategic entry point near the city could fall to Moscow, marking perhaps the first significant Ukrainian setback in months amid the war’s fiercest fighting. Local fronts around the eastern city have grown more intense, with both sides trading blows as winter try to carve out a breakthrough.
British military intelligence has flagged heightened threats to Ukrainian positions. The intensity around Bakhmut has intensified, with clashes erupting within the town and its surroundings in the eastern Donbas region. The situation remains fluid, with fighters pressing to hold key routes and protect retreat lines as authorities assess every option for defense.
Reports say the city, long battered by weeks of conflict, has seen critical infrastructure come under heavy strain. Two important bridges reportedly collapsed within a short window, raising questions about mobility and the ability to sustain supply and withdrawal operations. The surrounding area has grown cratered and difficult to traverse, complicating any efforts to reestablish stable lines of communication.
Ukrainian troops are working to repair damaged roads, while additional forces push forward, signaling that Ukraine has not conceded Bakhmut. In the west, defenders are digging new trenches and fortifying positions to slow the advance and create protective avenues for countermeasures as the battle continues to unfold.
A victory at Bakhmut would hold symbolic weight, coming after months of heavy casualties and a costly winter push that mobilized large reserves. Moscow appears to view the city as a possible springboard toward greater control of the industrial corridor in Donbas, a strategic objective that engineers say could influence the wider trajectory of the conflict.
Before the war, Bakhmut was known for its salt and gypsum mining, a quieter facet of the region’s economy. Kyiv has argued that the city holds limited strategic value, while observers note that the heavy losses suffered around Bakhmut may influence perceptions of momentum in the broader struggle.
The Claws Are Closing
A Wagner Group leader released a video on social media stating that the mercenary units commanded by his faction had effectively besieged Bakhmut. He asserted that only one exit remains and that the siege is tightening, signaling a push toward final disposition of the urban area.
The same figure also appealed to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, urging a withdrawal from Bakhmut to protect Ukrainian soldiers’ lives, a move that would dramatically reshape battlefield calculus for all sides. Officials have described the situation as critical, with round-the-clock combat described in several updates from regional authorities and security services.
Ukrainian commanders say their forces are prepared to endure heavy losses in pursuit of denying the enemy a foothold, stressing that each remaining meter of Ukrainian territory comes at a high price for the opponent. Analysts note the balance of manpower, ammunition, and terrain will likely determine how the battle concludes and what its aftermath means for the wider war effort.