Ukraine podcast: Bachmut chapter not ended just because it was taken

Security expert Christian Mölling believes it is possible that Ukraine will try to recapture Bachmut in an offensive. Most of the city seems to be taken at the moment. This is no longer relevant in terms of military strategy, says the research director of the German Society for Foreign Relations.

But he says: “Bachmut has become a political tipping point, especially for Moscow.” As a result, the Ukrainian armed forces were able to tie up Russian forces there for a long time. Now they could plan the reconquest. In the star “Ukraine – the situation” he says: “It would be a complete misconception that the chapter is now over just because it was taken once.” Also because the recovery would be a positive headline for Kiev.

Belgorod could be part of preparations for a larger offensive by Ukraine

Mölling is cautious when assessing attacks in the Russian border region of Belgorod: “All sides are trying to spread information that will help them.” It is therefore not yet possible to say whether these are actually autonomous attacks by Russian guerrillas or whether the Ukrainian military is supporting them. These elements of chaos are a “wonderful situation” in warfare, as long as you don’t experience the chaos yourself.

The decisive question now is whether the irregulars will succeed in establishing themselves permanently. “Then that poses a threat to the logistical supply of the Russian associations, because the area is a transshipment point for logistics,” says the security expert. But even so, the attacks are a “symbolic indication that Russia is not able to protect its own borders.” As a result, people talk less about the conquest of Bakhmut and more about this pro-Ukrainian success in Belgorod – a PR coup, says Mölling.