Russia is increasingly using airborne troops in the attacks on Bakhmut.
This is apparently related to the return of a high-ranking officer.
Bachmut - The battle for Bachmut is still undecided.
According to their own statements, after months of fighting with extremely high losses, the Russian attackers were able to gain more and more territory and conquer around 80 percent of the city.
Kiev, on the other hand, still does not want to give up the city, which has now been almost completely destroyed.
70,000 people used to live in Bachmut, currently thousands are still holding out there.
The Russian successes may have been due to a change in the battle plan.
This is reported by the US think tank “Institute for the Study of War” (ISW), citing British intelligence information.
According to this information, Russia is now increasingly relying on Russian airborne troops (VDV) in the battle for Bakhmut.
These would have relieved some Wagner units securing the operation's northern and southern flanks.
At the same time, in the center of the city, the mercenaries of the Wagner group continued the main advance.
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An aerial view of Bakhmut, the scene of heavy fighting with Russian troops in Donetsk region, Ukraine.
© Libkos/dpa
Ukraine War: Russian commander returns to front at Bakhmut
According to the ISW, the change in strategy is mainly related to the return of a senior officer.
Colonel-General Mikhail Teplinsky, who was only released in January as one of the most important operational commanders in Ukraine, has "most likely again played an important" role in the Ukraine war.
From June 2022 to January 2023, Teplinsky had commanded the Russian Airborne Forces as commander.
But why is Teplinski returning to the front just a few months after his release?
In its analysis, the ISW interprets the change of heart to mean that the Russian Ministry of Defense is now striving for close cooperation with the mercenaries, despite all the disputes with the Wagner group.
After all, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigoshin had demonstratively backed Teplinsky, who had just been fired, and confirmed his affiliation with the Wagner group, according to the ISW.
According to the ISW experts, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is apparently trying to smooth things over, at least temporarily, with his reinstatement.
The goal is to finally bring the conquest of Bakhmut to a successful end after months of fighting.
Bakhmut is important to Russia for two reasons.
Firstly, to control the Donbass;
on the other hand, to give President Vladimir Putin a message of success.
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Ukraine War: Russian airborne troops with high losses in Bakhmut
At the beginning of the Ukraine war, the Russian airborne troops were considered elite units, but have had to accept immensely high losses in recent months.
A prominent military blogger claimed on January 31 on Russian state television that the VDV armed forces had lost between 40 and 50 percent of their personnel between the beginning of the war and September 2022.
Meanwhile, the battle for Bakhmut rages on.
According to the General Staff in Kiev, the Russian armed forces suffered heavy losses in their attacks.
A total of 45 Russian attacks were repelled around Bakhmut and Marjinka.
The information could not be independently verified.
"The enemy is suffering significant losses, but they are sticking to their plans to occupy Ukrainian territory." Despite the large number of Russian attacks, the front line has remained unchanged.
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List of rubrics: © Libkos/dpa
