After nine long months the official Russian press claimed a victory this week with the fall of Artyomovsk, known in Russia as Bakhmut, in Donbass. The town, once home to about 77,000 residents in peaceful times, became a headline moment in the Kremlin’s narrative. The fighting began on August 1 and stretched into a protracted siege. A Russian military analyst cited in Izvestia called the development a moral victory against the propaganda idea of a fortified Bajmut.
Analyst Vassili Dandikin argues that Russia emerges from the nine months of heavy combat with the town largely devastated but with the army advancing. He stresses that the key objective is to solidify the front by linking Artyomovsk with Adviika and Marinka, reducing artillery responses in Donetsk and other major cities. The capture is viewed as a means to blunt Ukrainian forces in places like Mariupol, conquered nearly three months after Bakhmut, and Kherson, which withdrew in six days but without preventing Ukrainian resistance. The battle in Bakhmut is described as a significant clash with material losses on both sides. Dandikin notes that in a single day Ukrainian forces faced substantial damage including a tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, five pickup trucks, and several artillery mounts.
For the Russians, the victory did not come without a heavy price. Denis Kolesnyk, a French military analyst cited by El Periódico, suggested that Russian attack power has been worn down and that a new offensive in the near future is unlikely. The priority for Moscow is to secure a foothold in the city to stabilize the position on the front line.
Pyrus victory
The Battle of Bakhmut has stood out as one of the most notable episodes in the Russo Ukrainian conflict. The city is described as having symbolic significance for both sides. For Moscow, taking the city represents a stepping stone to a broader objective, while for Ukraine, the town holds strategic value that remains contested. Russian media emphasizes that Bajmut is now a transport artery that, if fully controlled, could complicate further Ukrainian counter moves. The defense of Artyomovsk is portrayed as a stubborn fight that reflects the town’s geographical and logistical importance. The occupation of the city is framed as a difficult achievement that offers limited immediate strategic advantage, yet remains important for the broader war aims. The defense of nearby settlements is said to hinge on the town’s defensive and logistical advantages.
To the present day, both Kyiv and Moscow continue to press and contest. In the same period, several towns within internationally recognized Russian borders experienced activity on the ground. Russian volunteers who fought on the side of Kyiv reportedly took part in capturing territory in the Belgorod region. A French adviser during the time of the Buchhalt celebrations suggested that Ukrainian forces could be compelled to redeploy to their own territory, complicating the Russian military posture.
Russian media responded with another publication from Komsomolskaya Pravda. A report claimed that Ukraine sent its militias to Belgorod to disrupt Russian lines and that the Ukrainian leadership has a plan to offset losses. The pieces emphasized discipline problems among militias and suggested that the Ukrainian side may be seeking to compensate for recent setbacks through further operations. The overall interpretation in these accounts is that the war remains unresolved and the outcome dependent on strategic choices by both sides.
As the conflict continues, analysts from Western and allied perspectives caution that Moscow may present the situation as a victory while predicting a difficult road ahead. The possibility of a peace settlement remains distant, with observers noting that a credible agreement would require addressing broader security and political considerations. The situation in the region continues to be dynamic, with both sides assessing vulnerabilities and recalibrating strategies for the weeks ahead. The overall assessment remains that the war’s end is not imminent and that both sides will test agreements and defenses before any durable resolution could be achieved.