Reminiscent of the Battle of Verdun: a U.S. general explained why the battle for Bakhmut could be a turning point in the war in Ukraine

The battle for Bakhmut recalls the Battle of Verdun, one of the bloodiest battles of World War I, which lasted between French and German forces from February 21 to December 18, 1916. The battle for the Ukrainian stronghold city is likely to be a turning point in the war - it has already led to heavy losses for Russia and dangerous "disputes" for Vladimir Putin's regime.

This was the view expressed by retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Peter Zwack in an interview with the Voice of America. He noted that the Battle of Verdun was a symbol "that far exceeds" its tactical value.

The fighting around Bakhmut is also a real battle of attrition, which is why it has become so bloody, and the advantage passes from one side to the other.

"It seemed to us that the Russians, with great difficulty, but would pull out this battle at the beginning of winter, but the Ukrainians decided to put up a resistance that has lasted for several months. Now comes the fatigue of Russia continuing to send in both new soldiers and ammunition. And one gets the impression that the Ukrainians value the lives of their soldiers more than the Russians do," the general said.

Peter Zvak added that to continue the offensive in Bakhmut Russia needs a "huge amount" of resources that could have been used in other directions.

"And, of course, this battle requires a large number of good Ukrainian fighters, but perhaps they (AFU - Ed.) want to bide their time before a counteroffensive," the military officer noted.

According to him, Bakhmut is holding on, although it is not known exactly what percentage of it has not yet been captured by Russian troops. The latter have suffered very heavy losses there.

"I think this battle will be a turning point for both Ukrainian and Russian troops. And finally, the battle for Bakhmut and other adjoining towns has led to a dangerous dispute for Putin's regime, friction between Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner PMC, and other oligarchs and generals who are publicly fighting a backroom battle. This once again confirms that there are serious problems in the Kremlin," explained Peter Zvak.

He added that at the same time we should not forget that Moscow still has many soldiers and "is ready to go to the end. But even if Bakhmut is captured, "it will not be fatal for the Ukrainians, they will simply withdraw their fighters to other positions."

"This town is not decisive, but as I said before, the battle itself is a symbol. While supplies of ammunition and military equipment continue to flow into Ukraine, but time is running out," the general said.

The Battle of Verdun, or the Battle of Verdun Massacre, was one of the largest and bloodiest military operations of World War I. It went down in history as a textbook example of a war of attrition. During the Battle of Verdun, French troops were able to repel a large-scale German offensive, while the German General Staff hoped to bring about the collapse of the entire Anglo-French front.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL:

- According to the General Staff of the AFU, on the 426th day of the war the fiercest fighting continues for Bakhmut and Mayrinka. The defenders of Ukraine repulsed 43 attacks in the Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Maryinka directions; near Bakhmut, Russian troops unsuccessfully tried to advance in the direction of Novomarkovo and Khromovo.

- The commander of the UAV company Yuri Fedorenko said that the enemy has no significant success in advancing Bakhmut. At the outskirts of the city the Ukrainian Armed Forces have stabilized the situation.

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