Military expert Oleg Zhdanov explained the strategic importance of Bakhmut.

He said this on his YouTube channel.

According to him, if Bakhmut is taken, the way to Slovyansk will open before the invaders.

"But that's not the point. In case the occupiers take Bakhmut, we have the next line of defense ready there. They won't advance any further. And they have to keep on going to Slovyansk," Zhdanov noted.

The expert once again emphasized that the fact of victory is not important for the Russian Federation, but the strategic importance of the city.

"They need to "sell" something to their citizens and show it to the West in order to put pressure on the West. They need a break in the war. This (Russian. - Ed.) army is exhaling. The quality, combat capability is falling. That's why they need victory. And to transfer forces to they can't go in other directions. They don't have the time and opportunity anymore," he concluded.

Instead, in an interview with

journalist Dmytro Gordon, the adviser of the President's Office, Oleksiy Arestovich 

 , said that Bakhmut is not strategically important.

"It is not even operationally important. It has no importance, in fact. That is, it is important only in one way: we set a trap for them, where we burn their last reserves. They can, of course, still collect, but for now," he believes Arestovych.

Battles near Bakhmut: the latest news

Earlier, Oleg Zhdanov explained that Russian propaganda plans to show the occupation of Ukrainian Bakhmut as if it was the "capture" of Berlin during the Second World War. Putin needs such a victory for a new wave of mobilization.

Zhdanov also told whether the ZSU would hold Bakhmut and named the ratio of artillery in the Bakhmut direction.

Recently, information appeared on the Internet that the 93rd brigade is allegedly leaving Bakhmut.

The Armed Forces did not confirm this information and explained that it is not possible to publish data on the movement of units. 

The fighters themselves denied the information about the withdrawal of the 93rd brigade from Bakhmut and assured that they are holding back the invaders, even though they "climb and climb".

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