Former Azov commander reports Ukrainian forces' still holding on in Bakhmut
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The former commander of the Azov Regiment, Major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Maksym Zhorin, spoke about the current situation in Bakhmut in an interview with Radio NV on May 8.
"Indeed, it is noticeable that the enemy has been set the task of capturing the city by May 9 at any cost," Zhorin said.
“But they are not succeeding, despite the fact that they are throwing all their forces, despite the fact that even when we break up their attacking groups, they immediately regroup them.”
Zhorin said sometimes one Russian grouping advancing in Bakhmut includes both Wagner mercenaries and Russian army personnel, and "there have been some ‘LPR’ lot before," (meaning soldiers from the Russian sham republic set up by the Kremlin in part of Luhansk Oblast in 2014.)
"If we talk about the situation at the moment, it is very difficult," he said.
“In fact, it is as difficult as it was before. The fighting in the city is extremely heavy.”
At the same time, Zhorin stressed that the defenders of Bakhmut had not lost any positions in recent days.
"Moreover, counter-attacks were organized to break the enemy's offensive potential," added the former Azov Regiment commander.
He called the priority task north of Bakhmut to hold the road, "which currently remains the only one for communication, evacuation, transportation, supply, and all such things."
"The enemy understands this and is also trying to capture it," said Zhorin.
“Once they succeeded for a short time, but they were immediately driven back and thrown away from this road.”
The former Azov officer also said that to the south of Bakhmut, the defenders managed to drive the enemy out of some positions, seize, and hold them.
"Their offensive potential is noticeably decreasing," he concluded.
“It is evident that they have problems with personnel. But there are definitely no problems with artillery or, for example, with aviation, because both artillery and aviation are working constantly. Even if we lose some positions in the city, there are enough forces around the city to put pressure and destroy the enemy.”
Earlier, the leader of the Honor movement and Ukrainian soldier Serhiy Filimonov told Radio NV that the so-called "(cannon) fodder assaults" of the Russians in Bakhmut had stopped.
Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Havrylov noted that holding Bakhmut was a key moment for preparing Ukraine's counteroffensive. It allowed Ukrainians to dictate conditions on the front line and reduce Russia's military resources.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing at the White House on May 1 that Washington estimates that Russia has lost 20,000 people in the battle for Bakhmut over the past five months.
The total losses of the aggressor state in killed and wounded in this area reach 100,000 people. The battle for Bakhmut has been going on since July 2022.
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