Capture of Bakhmut will open path for Russia to other cities of Donetsk Oblast – Zelenskyy

The capture of the city of Bakhmut would open the way for Russia to reach other settlements in Donetsk Oblast, which is why Ukrainian troops continue to defend it.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with CNN

Quote: "We understand that after Bakhmut they could go further. They could go to Kramatorsk, they could go to Sloviansk, it would be open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine, in the Donetsk direction.

That’s why our guys are standing there."

Details: As he states, the defence of Bakhmut is a tactical decision for Ukraine. At the same time, Russia is trying to gain "at least some victory," even by destroying everything in the city and killing its residents.

Zelenskyy emphasised that if Russia can "put their little flag" on top of Bakhmut, it will help "mobilize their society in order to create this idea they’re such a powerful army."

At the same time, the President stated that it is necessary to "think about our people first and no one should be surrounded, encircled".

Quote: "The military sees for themselves that we have to stay strong there despite the fact that Russia ruined the whole city and everything there. Troops were helping kids, civilians to leave the town – even up to today people were leaving Bakhmut. We were helping everyone."

More details: CNN stresses that Bakhmut itself has little strategic value, but its connection to the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two densely populated industrial centres in the country’s northwest, means that they could be next for Russia.

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