Russian offensive near Bakhmut nears its culmination without significant results - ISW

The Russian army's offensive near Bakhmut is approaching its peak, without bringing the Kremlin any significant results.

Source. Experts from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) write about this in their daily report.

"The spring offensive of Russian troops is likely approaching its culmination. Russian offensive operations along the Svatovo-Kremenna line, around Bakhmut, as well as on the Avdiivka-Donetsk and Vuhledar fronts have failed to bring more than minor tactical successes," the ISW report says.

On March 19, the head of the joint press center of the Tauride defense forces, Colonel Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky, noted that Russian forces were vigorously attacking Avdiivka, trying to re-launch an offensive in the Vuhledar area. Their actions have led to significant losses, which greatly reduce Russia's offensive capabilities in the Donetsk region.

"Dmitrashkivsky said that this renewed offensive recently resulted in heavy Russian losses around Avdiivka, amounting to the equivalent of one company," the report said.

According to experts, Ukrainian troops probably launched a localized counterattack southwest of Bakhmut. Geolocation footage released on March 19 shows that Ukrainian forces launched a successful counterattack southwest of Ivanivske (6 km west of Bakhmut) and pushed Russian forces further away from the T0504 highway in the area.

Colonel Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for Ukraine's Eastern Military Group, said that Russian troops launched 25 attacks in the Bakhmut area on March 19, but that Russian forces apparently achieved only minor success.

Russian sources circulated footage filmed on March 18, allegedly showing a convoy of Ukrainian armored vehicles along the T0504 road southwest of Kostyantynivka (22 km southwest of Bakhmut) and suggested that Ukrainian forces were preparing to launch a counteroffensive southwest of Bakhmut.

The growing discussions in Russia about an imminent Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Bakhmut area indicate that Russian sources are increasingly uncertain about the ability of the Russian military to hold the initiative around Bakhmut, the think tank writes.

Researchers believe that the Russian offensive will end regardless of whether the Russian army takes Bakhmut or not. Moscow's offensive operations on the Kupyansk, Svatove and Kreminna directions in Luhansk region "also do not bring significant success."

Background. As reported, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 2 air defense systems, 5 tanks and 9 artillery systems of the Russians over the last day.