The battle for the small town of Bachmut takes its toll on both sides.
Voices from the USA advise a Ukrainian withdrawal.
The news ticker on the Ukraine war.
Possible
withdrawal
from
Bachmut
: In the USA, experts are advising Kiev to change strategy.
Battle
of
Bakhmut
: Yevgeny Prigozhin threatens Vladimir Putin.
Lack of material
on the part of Moscow: Russia uses decades-old tanks in the Ukraine war.
Update from March 6, 6:30 p.m.:
“Putin’s bloodhound”, the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has apparently started recruiting fighters from the self-proclaimed “Luhansk People’s Republic” for his troops.
The goal is to strengthen their own power, reports the National Resistance Center of Ukraine.
According to the report, Kadyrov's influence is currently growing in the occupied areas of the Donetsk region - now his fighters are also supposed to "ensure order" in the Luhansk Oblast.
+
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is said to be recruiting men from the “Luhansk People's Republic” for his troops.
(archive photo)
© IMAGO/Yelena Afonina/ITAR-TASS
Ukraine update: Fighting in Bakhmut reaches “their peak”
Update from March 6th, 5 p.m.:
In the battle for the small town of Bachmut, the fighting is said to be “reaching its peak”.
The Ukrainian army is currently trying "valiantly to defend its positions" and "to prevent the encirclement of the city," Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyj told Telegram.
In addition, the Russian troops, including the Wagner mercenary group, suffered "considerable losses".
The Russian side also reported losses – albeit on the Ukrainian side.
Ukraine news: US voices advise Kiev to withdraw from Bakhmut
Update from March 6, 2:50 p.m .:
Fierce fighting continues in and around the besieged city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, but both Kiev and Moscow are apparently increasingly
struggling with ammunition shortages
(see the first report from March 6) and increasing losses.
While the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, Valeriy Zalushnyi, spoke out "in favor of continuing the defense operation and further strengthening the positions in Bakhmut", some analysts expect the fighting for the small town to end soon.
Putin's circle of power in the Kremlin - the confidants of the Russian President
Putin's circle of power in the Kremlin - the confidants of the Russian President
"I think Bakhmut's stubborn defense accomplished a lot as it consumed Russian manpower and ammunition," tweeted Michael Kofman, director of Russian studies at CAN, Virginia think tank.
"But strategies can reach a point where yields diminish, and as Ukraine tries to gather resources for an offensive, it could hamper the success of a more important operation." Also, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a The Washington-based think tank said a withdrawal might be the "wisest option" for Ukraine.
Ukraine news: Selenskyj is arguing with the military about Bachmut's strategy
Update from March 6, 1:24 p.m .
: In the brutal battles for Bakhmut, Selenskyj is apparently arguing with a leading general about the strategy.
The Ukrainian president has declared the city a "fortress" but, according to a report, is met with incomprehension from soldiers who speak of a "disaster".
You can find out the background here.
Ukraine news: "Donetsk People's Republic" blames Kiev for the deaths of 4,500 civilians
Update from March 6, 12:35 p.m
.: Almost 4,500 civilians have died in the Donetsk region “since the escalation on February 17, 2022”.
Officials of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" reported this and blamed Ukraine.
According to the Russian news agency Tass, they explained that 133 children were among the dead.
“The situation escalated on the morning of February 17th.
Heavy shelling by Ukrainian forces killed civilians and damaged infrastructure," it said, adding: "On February 24, at the request of Donbass leaders, Putin launched the military special operation" to "liberate the areas under Kyiv's control."
Kremlin propaganda continues to refer to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a "military special operation."
Ukraine news: Selenskyj's wife reports sexual violence by Putin's forces
Update March 6, 11:27 a.m
.: Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, wife of Zelenskyj, reported that investigators are currently investigating 171 cases of alleged sexual violence by Russian forces against Ukrainian civilians.
This emerges from the latest analysis by the US Institute for War Studies (ISW).
Material shortage on the part of Russia: The army uses decades-old tanks in the Ukraine war
Update from March 6, 9:57 a.m
.: Moscow is now using decades-old weapons, apparently out of desperation: recently, even Soviet-type BTR-50 armored transport vehicles, which have been manufactured since 1954, have been used in Ukraine.
This is reported by the Ministry of Defense in London with reference to its secret services.
Destroyed main battle tanks have been replaced by old T-62 models for months, it said.
Even the 1st Guards Tank Army, one of the most prestigious units, received such tanks to make up for their losses in modern tanks.
“As of the summer of 2022, about 800 T-62s have been taken out of storage.
Some have received improved sighting systems that will most likely improve their effectiveness at night.” However, the vehicles have many weak points, including the lack of modern reactive armor.
First report from March 6th
: Kiev – The Russian troops have been trying for weeks to conquer the city of Bakhmut, which has been declared a fortress.
Russia uses the notorious Wagner mercenaries, who according to Ukrainian reports have already suffered heavy losses.
However, the information cannot be verified.
Battle for Bakhmut: Yevgeny Prigozhin threatens Vladimir Putin
Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has now threatened the government of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to withdraw his mercenaries from Bakhmut.
The reason for this is the lack of ammunition.
This was reported by ZDF, citing a corresponding telegram entry from the first weekend in March (which, however, was not an official Prigozhin channel).
"The situation will not be nice for all military formations that protect Russian interests," it said, as well as: "If Wagner withdraws from Bachmut now, the entire front will collapse."
General Staff in Kiev: “Unsuccessful Offensive Actions” in the Ukraine War
So far, Bakhmut has been under pressure from three sides, only one side in the west is still open and offers Ukrainian troops a corridor for a possible retreat.
"The defenders are holding their position," said Sehy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Ukrainian Army Group East.
"And we have the ability to deliver ammunition, provisions and medicine, and to transport the wounded."
In its report, the General Staff in Kiev also spoke of "unsuccessful offensive actions" by Russian troops near Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk in the east of the country.
There, too, many towns were indiscriminately shelled by Russian artillery
(AFP/dpa/frs/nak)
List of rubrics: © IMAGO/Yelena Afonina/ITAR-TASS
