Wagner forces are ‘like rats in a trap’ in battle for Bakhmut

WAGNER mercenaries are advancing through Bakhmut “like rats into a mousetrap”, the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces has said.

Ukrainian troops have launched renewed attacks around Bakhmut’s northern and southern flanks in recent days, leading some analysts to speculate they may be trying to encircle Russia’s forces in the eastern city.

Ukraine is now believed to have recaptured about 7.7 square miles to the north and south of the city in a localised counter-offensive operation.

But Moscow’s forces, spearheaded by the Wagner Group, have managed to push deeper inside the city itself.

“Wagner’s men went into Bakhmut like rats into a mousetrap,” Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, the ground forces commander, said.

Hanna Malyar, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, said developments in Bakhmut “should not be taken out of context” as they are not part of a broader Kyiv counter-offensive.

“For example, within a few days, our troops liberated about 20 square kilometres from the enemy in the north and south of the suburbs of Bakhmut,” she wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

“At the same time, the enemy is advancing somewhat in Bakhmut itself, completely destroying the city with artillery,” she added.

South of Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces are believed to have advanced through a wooded area south of the village of Invanivske, in the direction of Klishchiivka, a village Wagner claimed to have captured in January.

And to the north, fighting has been reported in the highlands surrounding the Berkhovskoye reservoir.

Grey Zone, the prominent Russian military blogger associated with Wagner, last week said the positions recently established by Ukraine give them “an advantageous tactical position, which allows them to conduct reconnaissance and effectively use any type of weapons” on Russian troops below.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s general staff announced Russia had lost more than 200,000 troops since the start of the war more than a year ago.