Russia-Ukraine war: Pentagon chief says Bakhmut more symbolic than strategic, operational

US Defense secretary Lloyd Austin said the key city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine had more of a symbolic value. Austin added that the fall of Bakhmut would not mean that Russia has changed the tide of the war.

Austin told reporters during a visit to Jordan that Bakhmut had more of a symbolic value rather than a strategic one, as the eastern Ukrainian city has been at the center of the heaviest fighting since Russia invaded in February last year. Austin said that it was hard to determine whether or not Bakhmut may fall, but should the city be under Russian control, it would not mean that Moscow has changed the tide of the war.

“I think it is more of a symbolic value than it is strategic and operational value,” Austin told reporters. “The fall of Bakhmut won’t necessarily mean that the Russians have changed the tide of this fight.”

Austin also said that should Ukrainian forces decide to reposition west of Bakhmut, he would not see it as a strategic setback. The US defense chief also weighed in on the involvement of the Russian Wagner mercenary group in the city, hinting at the differences between the paramilitary group and the Russian military.

“I think the fissures are there…I would say the Wagner forces have been a bit more effective than the Russian forces…Having said that, we have not seen exemplary performance from Russian forces,” said Austin.

The battle of Bakhmut has been taking place for seven months. A Russian victory would give Moscow its first major gain after suffering significant territorial losses in recent months.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on the Telegram messaging platform that Kyiv has brought back 307 children out of Russia-occupied territories. This comes as Kyiv has estimated that over 16,000 children have been deported to Russia since the beginning of the war. Lubinets did not reveal further details on the efforts to reunite children.

Russia said it was evacuating people voluntarily from Ukraine.

According to Ukraine’s prosecutor general, 464 children have died so far in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with police estimating around 356 children are still missing.