Amid discussions of a potential spring attack, Ukraine has achieved progress in Bakhmut, while the Wagner group's outburst persists.

On Friday, Ukraine declared that it had regained control of territory in Bakhmut, which is a noteworthy and infrequent change in the conflict-torn area. However, it does not seem to be a component of Kyiv's highly anticipated spring offensive.
Fox News Digital was unable to confirm any changes in the fighting around Bakhmut, but Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar stated that Ukrainian forces had made progress of more than two miles in the area within a week, as initially reported by BBC.
Recently, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian Wagner mercenary group, claimed that Moscow was losing ground near Bakhmut and that Russian forces had abandoned their posts. He alleged that Ukrainian troops had taken over and were attacking the flanks. However, the Russian defense ministry denied these claims and stated that the situation in the special military operation zone was under control. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesperson for the Russian defense ministry, also stated that no new ground had been taken by Ukrainian forces and that Russian troops had regrouped to take on new frontiers. Prigozhin disagreed with the defense ministry's claims and accused them of fleeing from the flanks.
According to Prigozhin, the enemy will come close to Bakhmut and occupy all strategic positions at a distance of 500 meters. He also claimed that Russian troops had retreated from a two square mile area, allowing Ukrainian soldiers to gain a better view of Bakhmut. Prigozhin predicted that Ukrainian troops would gradually surround Bakhmut. Russian forces had targeted the town last summer, and it had become a site of intense fighting, with trench warfare leaving scars in the Bakhmut sector.
Despite Moscow's extensive attempts, the Russian military was unsuccessful in completely seizing the region in eastern Donetsk. This has led Western defense officials to question why the Kremlin allocated a significant amount of its resources to an area that had minimal strategic importance for Russia.
To obtain the FOX NEWS APP, click on the provided link. Malyar stated that the struggle for Bakhmut is crucial for Ukraine, but it has also become a significant conflict for Russia, almost like a holy war. Western defense officials have supported this statement and indicated that the fight for Bakhmut has become emblematic of Russia's larger objective of trying to capture Ukrainian land.