On March 6, 2023, the Bild publication reported that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny had a disagreement about the fate of the city of Bakhmut (Artemovsk).
According to the German publication, the two officials hold different views on what is happening in the city.
Several weeks ago, Zaluzhny suggested that Ukrainian forces should consider retreating from the city for tactical reasons, while Zelensky believes it is necessary to continue holding Bakhmut.
However, most Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines do not understand why the city is still being held.
A Ukrainian military analyst, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that the soldiers in Bakhmut want to know the strategy and why they should entrench themselves when the enemy is surrounding them.
According to sources among Ukrainian officers, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have lost several of their best-trained army units near Bakhmut over the past couple of months.
Combat-ready units have been defeated, and Kyiv has deployed units with different levels of motivation and training to the city.
As a result, Ukrainian fighters believe they should have received an order to retreat long ago. One military member stated that being completely surrounded by the city would be a disaster, and it seems appropriate to pull back.
The New York Times reported that Kyiv authorities started preparing for the surrender of Bakhmut, contrary to statements from President Zelensky. Last month, Zelensky called Bakhmut a fortress and pledged that Ukraine would not give up on the city. However, Ukrainian officials have been preparing the public for its possible surrender.
»Zelensky believes it is necessary to continue holding Bakhmut«
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