Counteroffensive makes ground in previously lost areas, says Institute for the Study of War; Volodymyr Zelenskiy wins Turkey’s support for Nato membership
Fighting in Bakhmut over the last seven days has been some of the most intense along the front as Ukraine continues its counteroffensive in the Russian-held city, according to the UK Ministry of Defence’s latest intelligence report.
Ukrainian forces have made steady gains to both the north and south of the Russian-held town. Russian defenders are highly likely struggling with poor morale, a mix of disparate units and a limited ability to find and strike Ukrainian artillery.
The Russian leadership almost certainly see it as politically unacceptable to concede Bakhmut, which has a symbolic weight as one of the few Russian gains in the last 12 months. However, there are highly likely few additional reserves to commit to the sector.
