Recent reports from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggest that Russian forces are gaining ground in Bakhmut, Ukraine, but are also sustaining "significant casualties" in the process. This comes as Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed that Russia is sending additional elite troops, including special forces, to support the Wagner Group in their efforts to capture the besieged city in the east of the country.
According to Syrskyi, "the defence forces exhausted the Wagnerites" and "the enemy is forced to involve special forces and airborne assault units in the battles for Bakhmut." Despite this, Putin's soldiers are said to be "actively using their artillery and aviation, destroying the city that they cannot capture."
In contrast, a Russia-backed official has claimed that Moscow's forces now control over 75% of Bakhmut. However, the official also cautioned that it is still too early to talk about the besieged city's fall.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government maintains that its war plans remain largely unchanged, despite the leak of dozens of secret US documents regarding the situation in Ukraine. US officials are currently trying to trace the source of the leak, which has been described as the worst to hit the American military in many years. Although specific tactics may need to be adjusted, Kyiv remains confident in its ability to resist the ongoing Russian aggression.