WSJ: “Wagnerites” near Bakhmut are trying to deplete Ukrainian forces, it partially worked
The goal of the terrorist PMC «Wagner» it was not so much the capture of Bakhmut as the exhaustion of the Ukrainian military. This is written by The Wall Street Journal.
The publication notes that, despite significant losses, & # 171; Wagner & # 187; managed to achieve certain results near Bakhmut. In particular, the disposable penal battalions of «Wagner» became a unique threat to Ukrainian fighters. Thus, soldiers who want to retreat or surrender are shot on the spot, while the total losses are ignored.
«No army in a democratic society can continue to send wave after wave of soldiers to certain death in order to gain a few more hundred meters. Even the regular Russian Armed Forces, known for their high tolerance for casualties, shy away from sending troops on apparently suicidal missions. However, it was precisely this approach that allowed «Wagner» approach the Bakhmut capture line at a cost estimated by Ukrainian and Western officials to be tens of thousands of Russian victims»,— said in the material.
The battalion commander of the third assault brigade, senior lieutenant Pyotr Gorbatenko told the publication that in Bakhmut within 24 hours up to 18 waves of «Wagnerites» could attack one trench.
«A soldier «Wagner» no way to retreat. The only chance to survive — is to go ahead. And this tactic works. This is a zombie war. They bombard us with cannon fodder, trying to inflict maximum damage. Obviously, we cannot respond in kind, because we do not have many personnel, and we are sensitive to losses», the military said.
The publication adds that the plan for The exhaustion of the Ukrainian military has partially worked, as in recent months Ukraine has sent some of its best brigades to defend the city. The WSJ believes that the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bakhmut region jeopardize Kyiv's ability to carry out a strategic counteroffensive in the spring.
