The encirclement of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, is the main task of the Russian invaders in this sector of the front. However, now they do not have enough strength to carry it out.

So, in order to take the grouping of Ukrainian troops into an operational encirclement, the invaders need to bypass Bakhmut from the South and North and try to cut the supply lines of the city. This was told to Channel 24 by a military expert, instructor pilot and colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the reserve Roman Svitan.

The enemy advanced south of Bakhmut

We are talking about the supply routes of Bakhmut with Druzhkovka, Slavyansk and Konstantinovka. Currently, the invaders are carrying out an operational-tactical maneuver around the city's encirclement:

• in the South, in the region of Kurdyumovka, the enemy advanced several kilometers to the West. Ukrainian defenders have stopped the enemy and are trying to cut off this movement;

Mostly in the Kurdyumovka area there are Russian military units that have replaced the Wagner PMC. Mostly these are the airborne troops of the aggressor country, which left Kherson a few months ago.

During the so-called “truce” announced by Putin, they reshuffled: PMC “Wagner” mainly focused on Soledar, and linear units of the Russian army entered Bakhmut and Kurdyumovka and perform this maneuver, – the military expert noted.

However, the Armed Forces have stopped the enemy and will decide on further movement in the area.

Svitan commented on the situation around Bakhmut: watch the video

Heavy fighting continues in the north of Bakhmut

• north of Bakhmut PMC “Wagner” over the past few days bombarded the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the village of Bakhmutskoe with convicts. In addition, the enemy entered Soledar and reached almost the center of the city.

However, the Ukrainian troops in this area were reinforced. So, units of the SOF, border troops, Teroborona and one of the airmobile units of the Ukrainian army, which took the main blow, were transferred to the Soledar area.

Now there are heavy fighting going on. Perhaps the most difficult for the entire time of the operation, which lasted this year, – said the colonel of the reserve of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The maximum efforts of the Ukrainian defenders are concentrated on this point, since Soledar keeps the Russian invaders from encircling Bakhmut from the North. Consequently, our military will make every effort to prevent the encirclement of Bakhmut himself.

The Wagnerites have a certain “motivation” in Soledar

Svitan noted that Soledar is now the only hot spot where Russia has transferred even the main stock parts of the Wagner PMC. For the Wagnerites, victory in this area is important, since for them it is already “a matter of world prestige.”

They need at least some kind of victory. If they now “turn around” about Soledar, then this illegal military company will be thrown out of all the world ratings of private companies and it will hurt them, – colonel of the reserve of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

At the same time, our fighters are holding the northern redoubt of the Bakhmut group, and so far there is no point in leaving it. According to the military expert, Ukraine has mechanisms to keep Soledar.

The Russians do not have enough strength to surround Bakhmut

In order to surround Bakhmut, the Russian invaders must first pass through Soledar. Without him, they won't be able to do it. In addition, in order to completely cordon off such a garrison as Bakhmut, the Russians now lack neither the strength nor the means.

According to Svitan, now the occupiers can only try to control the routes through which deliveries are made to Bakhmut. However, in addition to the main supply routes: Bakhmut – Slavyansk and Bakhmut – Konstantinovka – there are many more field roads. For example, from Bakhmut to Druzhkovka or Kramatorsk.

In order to take Bakhmut into a full ring, the Russians now have neither the strength nor the means. They cannot even surround and take Soledar, which is 10 times smaller than Bakhmut. There are no problems for Bakhmut yet,” the military expert summed up.

At the same time, the grouping of our troops in Soledar will be strengthened. So, the city is a “brick” in the overall defense, which is held from Bakhmut to Seversk.