Bakhmut War of Attrition Controversy... Putin Says "Occupation Complete," Ukraine Says "Not Fallen"

Controversy Over Interpretation of Zelensky's "NO" Response to Capture Question

The Battle of Bakhmut, the fiercest battle in the Ukraine war that has been ongoing for 15 months due to Russia's invasion, seems to be leaning towards a decisive victory for Russia. Ukraine has officially denied the fall of Bakhmut and is reportedly preparing for a large-scale counterattack soon, leading to analyses that the overall situation remains uncertain.

AFP and major foreign media reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the final day of the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, on the 21st (local time), stating, "Bakhmut has been destroyed, and there is almost nothing left." President Zelensky added, "This is a tragedy."

This statement is a 180-degree reversal from the previous day when Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, announced the capture of Bakhmut, and Ukraine acknowledged the unfavorable situation but insisted it was still putting all efforts into defense.

President Zelensky said, "Today, Bakhmut remains in our hearts for now," which was interpreted as a tacit admission of losing control over Bakhmut.

There was controversy over the interpretation of the Q&A regarding whether Bakhmut was still held.

When asked, "Is it true that Bakhmut is still under Ukrainian control? Russia claims to have taken over," President Zelensky replied, "I think no."

In response, major foreign media such as AFP, Bloomberg, Kyodo News, and the BBC simultaneously reported that he had effectively confirmed the fall.

On December 27 last year (local time), smoke was rising from various outskirts of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, which was shelled by Russian forces.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Shortly after, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian presidential office posted on Facebook, clarifying that "the president denied the fall of Bakhmut." The explanation implied that Zelensky was rejecting Russia's claim of occupation.

U.S. CNN reported that as of that morning, the Ukrainian military reaffirmed its defensive will by stating in its daily situation update that "fighting continues in Bakhmut."

On the same day, news also emerged that Ukraine was encircling parts of the area around Bakhmut and continuing the battle.

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar posted on social media, claiming, "Our forces are advancing on the outskirts of Bakhmut and making it difficult for the enemy to remain in the city."

Deputy Minister Maliar emphasized that "the Ukrainian military has encircled about half of Bakhmut" and still controls parts of the city.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia have treated the capture of Bakhmut, the "key stronghold" in eastern Ukraine where a war of attrition has been fought for the past 10 months, as a fait accompli and have waged a large-scale propaganda campaign to publicize it.

The Kremlin issued a statement that day, saying, "President Putin praised the completion of the liberation operation of Artemovsk (the Soviet-era name for Bakhmut) thanks to the Wagner Group and the Russian military units that provided flank support and cover." It added, "All those who achieved brilliant results will be rewarded by the state."

Some Western military experts analyze that whether Bakhmut falls or not does not hold decisive significance in the context of the entire war.

The U.S. think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a report that day, "Even if Prigozhin's claim of victory in the Battle of Bakhmut is true, it is purely symbolic."

ISW pointed out, "Some remaining areas in the eastern part of Bakhmut city are neither tactically nor operationally significant," adding, "Even if these areas are occupied, it does not provide any special advantage for Russian forces to continue their attack or defend against Ukrainian counterattacks."

While Ukraine suffered heavy losses in the brutal 10-month-long Battle of Bakhmut, the fact that Russian forces, which launched a massive offensive to seize the area, incurred even greater personnel losses is also highlighted as a factor to consider in future analyses of the war situation.