The Russians continue their ground attacks in Bakhmut and its surroundings but have not been able to achieve any territorial gains in the last two days.
Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated this in their report.
Experts also noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) repelled Russian attacks northwest of Bakhmut.
The AFU continues to push back the Wagner fighters from the Khromove-Chasiv Yar road. At the same time, the regular troops of the Russian Federation were conducting positional battles northwest of Bakhmut.
Analysts recalled the words of the leader of the Wagner private military company Yevgeny Prigozhin that the task of his mercenaries is to "exhaust the Ukrainian forces before a possible counteroffensive." Prigozhin himself believes that the fall of Bakhmut will not change the operational situation of the Russian Federation on the Donetsk Region axis.
Analysts drew attention to the situation in Vuhledar: a few days ago, the Russian occupiers launched a series of considerable airstrikes on the city. They noted that the other day there was information that allegedly Russian troops "broke through the defense of the AFU in the area of Velyka Novosilka and attacked Vuhledar on April 23."
However, ISW believes that "Russian forces lack the combat power necessary for a more or less significant offensive in the Vuhledar direction, especially while the battle for Bakhmut is underway."
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Defense Intelligence, believes that the Russian occupiers are not planning new offensives and have entirely switched to positional defense, except for offensive attempts in Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Mariyinka.
Kyrylo Budanov said that the war's end in Ukraine will be the return to the borders of 1991. Otherwise, if Crimea or Donbas are not returned, the war will continue until all these territories are returned to the control of Ukraine.
The de-occupation of the temporarily captured Crimea is inevitable for Ukraine and the whole world.
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