CNN: Ret. US Army Major explains how Ukraine should approach the battle for Bakhmut

Ukrainian defenses in and around the eastern city of Bakhmut are being squeezed by a combination of intense artillery, mortar fire, and airstrikes and a substantial commitment of ground forces, both Russian regulars and fighters of the Wagner private military company. CNN military analyst Ret. US Army Major Mike Lyons discusses the situation on the ground. #CNN #News

Transcript

Russian forces are making gradual gains as they try to encircle Ukrainian fighters in Bakhmut President Zelensky is calling it, quote, one of the toughest battles yet despite a Russian blitz, Ukrainian forces say that they are still holding on to a key highway in the fiercely contested city. Just a short time ago.

The defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, said it would not be a strategic setback if Ukrainians decide to reposition in some areas to the West of Bakhmut. The town’s deputy mayor telling CNN there are about 4500 Ukrainian residents still in the city and in harm’s way. So let’s bring in now retired U.S.

Army Major General Mike Lyons. Good morning to you. Let’s focus on Bakhmut here. So the secretary is saying that it would not be a strategic setback for Ukraine if they lose this city. Is that true? And what does this the significance of? Yeah, I think it is true.

I think the bottom line is both sides are using this battle to grind the other side down. And Ukraine’s winning in that regard. They’re about a seven to one ratio seven to one Russias down for one Ukraine. However, they still don’t have enough manpower there. Here’s really

What’s happening on the ground right now. The Russians. From what we can tell, are using a kind of envelopment to try to envelop the city here, a very kind of wide circle here. Why hasn’t Russia taken it directly? And I’ll tell you why. There’s a river. Ukraine has used an incredible

Amount of obstacles in order to protect the city. There’s a river that goes here that the Russians can’t navigate at all. And so we can tell what either side is doing by how they drop bridges across rivers. So, for example, the Ukraine military just dropped that river, which tells me now

They’re retreating back into the town of Buck Mode and eventually taking this this is the 504 the 504 road back to even, let’s say. But the Russians now, they drop a bridge here and come over. So they’re trying to prevent the Ukrainians from from escaping from this route there as well.

So we’re seeing now actually what both sides are going to do and likely where Ukraine will be able to evade Russian forces to leave the city. So considering what you just said and how they’re surrounded. How much longer do you think Ukrainian forces can hold on? So so they’ve got to decide

How much more casualties they really want to take. And both sides have been grinding each other down. And here at this point, I think they’re going to do this for the next 24 to 48 hours. And there’s no there’s no loss in that for them. You know, they’d when the enemy is strong

Or at this point, I think that’s really what with the decision that they’re making. Can we talk about the volunteer group because they have been spearheading this push for a path. Can you explain to us their involvement here? They’re mercenaries about 50,000 troops we know in the dumbass region.

10,000 regular contractors about 40,000. Penal colony prisoners people that have made this choice to come join the battle here because as opposed to sitting in a Russian penal colony, they’re unbounded by the laws of land and warfare. Russia uses them for plausible deniability. They were first deployed back in 20 2014

And Crimea as the little green men. They’re not really warriors. Their head for Goshen is a former caterer of Vladimir Putin. But here’s the deal we now see that he’s now complaining about the situation and he says they’re not getting enough ammo. So he’s now sensing a loss. He’s sensing that they’re not

Going to be able to hold it. And really what they’ve done to the city the cities and rebels and center 4500 left from what was 80,000 civilians. There’s nothing that if they’ve really not gained any victory. They’re not bound by sort of traditional rules. Is this why they’re involved instead of Russian troops?

They can’t seem to muster enough Russian troops that want to do this fight. This is a suicide mission. Again, these frontal assaults here on locations in trench warfare with all the different obstacles. The Russian soldiers are smart. They recognize they’re not going to they’re not going to survive those battles. Thank you. Peter.

Michael, good to see you. Thank you. Let’s go straight to CNN’s most about live for us in Kyiv right now. Hello to you, Melissa. The fight has been going on for more than seven months. Now, wondering if Ukraine will be able to turn it around and keep the city

I think their aim, Don, is at this point just to hold it for as long as they can. And this is their tried and tested strategy. We’ve seen it in other towns in this war so far, although none at the heart of a battle this long yet to try and hold on

For as long as they can, whatever the cost to them insofar as it wears down the Russian ability to continue waging this war and whatever the cost Ukrainian forces giving all their can to defend Bakhmut or what’s left of it. After the longest battle of the war,

One of the oldest cities in the Donbass lies in ruins. There were no orders, no decisions were made regarding withdrawal from Bakhmut. There have been no tactical changes. We are holding the defense abandoned by more than 90% of its population over the course of the seven month siege.

Only those who couldn’t leave before are left. The intense fighting means that only five to ten people a day can now be evacuated. Compared to the 500 to 600 a day when the evacuation started at the end of February, according to the city’s deputy mayor, the Russians throwing all they have at

The city, says the deputy mayor. Heavy artillery, mortar fire, airstrikes and a substantial commitment of ground forces, both regular soldiers and volunteer mercenaries. But Russian advances have come at huge cost. Wave after wave of Russian soldiers have been sent to their deaths. And Ukraine has accused Russia of exaggerating its gains,

Claiming they still control one of the major highways into Bermuda. A lifeline for Ukrainian defenders. With one Ukrainian commander tweeting that there are many ways still to get into the city. Analysts have questioned the strategic importance of Bermuda. But that has not stopped Moscow’s intense campaign to capture the city.

Nor Ukraine’s existential fight to keep it. The unceasing barrage of artillery fire hasn’t just killed or forced out most of the city’s civilians. It’s taken a huge toll on Ukrainian soldiers, too. As the battle turns to close quarters, street fighting But Ukraine continues its fierce fight for victory. Even as Russian forces

Continue to close in on a city that’s already a byword for Ukrainian resilience, On the battlefield what’s most remarkable, maybe, Dawn, is that more than 100 years after the end of World War One, just how much this looks like some of the early battles of that war. Trench warfare, heavy artillery

And wave after wave of inexperienced soldiers on both sides being sent to their certain death. And it’s happening in Europe again.

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