Moscow’s capture of the Ukrainian city Bakhmut was enthusiastically reported on Russian television, drawing parallels to the Red Army’s 1945 liberation of Berlin. The victorious occasion was applauded by President Putin and heralded by newscasters using the city’s Soviet-era name, Artyomovsk.
The often-heard notion that Artyomovsk was an impregnable fortress was dispelled, stated an anchor on Channel One, Russia’s dominant state broadcaster. This was depicted as a momentous event.
Following this announcement was coverage from the battered eastern Ukrainian city, featuring Russian combatants shouting “Victory!” and hoisting the Russian national flag and the banner of the private military firm Wagner atop a partially demolished tall building.
Even though the historic city, devastated by warfare, appears a mere shell of its former self, the flags were displayed “for everyone to see,” the reporter noted.
Nevertheless, Ukrainian military officials argue that the battle for the city isn’t over, despite only a small portion remaining under their control. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on Monday that the southwestern outskirts were still under Ukrainian control, while the fight persisted for strategically important elevated areas in the northern and southern suburbs.
Despite Russian assertions, Kyiv points to its vital role in wearing down Russian forces in the protracted nine-month struggle for Bakhmut, during which tens of thousands of soldiers from both sides were killed. Satellite imagery reveals the destructive results of relentless artillery attacks, with infrastructure, apartment buildings, and other structures reduced to rubble.
Analysts suggest that Putin was desperate for a victory in Bakhmut, particularly after his forces’ winter offensive failed to secure other frontline cities and towns. Furthermore, Russia’s aspiration to seize the entire Donetsk region remains, a point underscored following the unsuccessful assault on Kyiv.
On Channel One, a Russian soldier compared his feelings to “probably the same emotions our grandfathers had in Berlin” about the triumphant sweep of the Red Army across the German capital at the end of World War II.
Further celebratory reports included headlines from two pro-Kremlin tabloids hailing the alleged seizure of the city, emphasizing its return to its Soviet-era name, Artyomovsk.
A column by RIA Novosti highlighted Bakhmut’s strategic significance, explaining how 224 days of fighting enabled Russia to inflict significant damage to Ukraine’s best military divisions and industrial-scale destruction of their equipment.
Despite these celebrations, Russia reported a breach into its territory in the border region of Belgorod by Ukrainian infiltrators, prompting a “counterterrorism operation.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that this was a distraction from the loss of Artyomovsk.
The actual situation in Bakhmut is unclear due to the chaos of war, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy maintaining that the city is not entirely under Russian control.
Bakhmut, an important industrial hub with a population of around 80,000 before the war, was previously known as Artyomovsk during Ukraine’s time as part of the Soviet Union. However, once famous for its sparkling wine and beautiful parks, the city has been reduced to ruins.
Ukraine renamed the city Bakhmut in 2016, sees the strategic value in the high Russian casualty rate and demoralizing of their foe. Ukrainian forces made significant advances in the surrounding countryside, aiming to encircle the Wagner fighters in the city. Analysts suggest that Ukraine’s tactical gains in the rural area could have more profound implications.
Despite Russia’s artillery supremacy, Ukrainian forces maintained their mission to distract a significant enemy force, a goal for which they acknowledged paying a high price. The territory regained by Ukraine around Bakhmut could provide critical supply routes, bringing much-needed relief to Ukrainian forces.
