Ukrainian authorities ordered reinforcements to be deployed to Bakhmut, where soldiers are holding off a Russian assault as officials consider withdrawing troops from the area.

The decision is being mulled over as Moscow's military troops slowly inch into the region and gradually tighten their control. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar should have disclosed how many troops Kyiv was sending to Bakhmut or for what purpose.

Ukraine's Defense of Bakhmut

It also remained to be seen if the reinforcements were meant for cover or logistical support in the event of a withdrawal of Ukrainian troops. Another possibility is that they could help the effort to continue defending the region and keep Russian forces at bay to prevent them from redeploying to other battlefields.

For months, Ukrainian soldiers have held out in Bakhmut against Russian aggression, where the death toll has rapidly increased for both parties. Moscow's forces, which include several newly mobilized recruits, have rushed down to the front lines in the east. This allowed Kyiv to inflict massive damage, but at a cost to its fighters, as per the New York Times.

In the first year of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow suffered more combat deaths than in all the conflicts it was part of since World War II combined. This number includes fighting in Chechnya and Afghanistan and is based on data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a research organization based in Washington.

Kyiv officials have used their relatively successful resistance against Russia to symbolize Ukraine's border defiance after a year of the Russian invasion. However, in recent weeks, Moscow's reinforcements have allowed them to seize villages and towns near Bakhmut and successfully surround the region from three points.

In a statement on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the most challenging situation in the war was still Bakhmut. A day before, he argued that Russian forces were targeting and destroying anything that could house Ukrainian troops responsible for defending the region.

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Continued Russian Aggression

In a Twitter post, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin suffered another major defeat on Mar. 1, 2023. According to USA Today, this was a reference to Kyiv's forces' continued defense against Moscow's troops.

On the other hand, Zelensky claimed that Russian forces could continue targeting Ukraine's power plants. In his nightly address, the president said that winter was over, noting that the battle had been difficult and that every single resident of his country felt the difficulties of the war.

In a Telegram post, Land Forces of Ukraine said on Saturday that Russian forces kept trying to break through Ukrainian defenses to take control of Bakhmut. It also noted that Ukraine' Easter Military Group commander, Col.-Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi visited units responsible for defending the city and nearby areas.

An adviser to Zelensky, Alexander Rodnyansky, said on Tuesday that the situation in Bakhmut was difficult. He warned that Moscow was trying to encircle the region and using its best Wagner troops, whom he considered the most well-trained and experienced fighters so far, said CNN.

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