‘30,000 Russians killed or wounded advancing just 15 miles in nine months’

AROUND 30,000 soldiers from Vladimir Putin’s Wagner Group “private army” and regular Russian units have been killed or wounded in the battle for the eastern Ukraine town of Bakhmut, according to a British military expert.

The “staggering casualties” had been at the cost of the Wagner mercenaries advancing just 25km (15.5 miles) in nine months, said Ian Stubbs, senior military adviser at the UK delegation to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Latest reports suggested that Wagner soldiers were inching their way forward in fierce fighting towards the centre of Bakhmut in Donetsk province but Ukrainian military chiefs said their forces were still holding the town. In a speech in Vienna, Mr Stubbs said: “In recent weeks, the staggering casualties suffered by Russia around Bakhmut appear to have had significant impact.

“Their assault seemingly stalled, reports suggest that the Russian military and Wagner Group urgently need to replenish personnel and munition stocks. Approximately 30,000 Russian fighters have been killed or wounded since the battle for Bakhmut began nine months ago, with the Wagner-dominated force advancing just 25km in this time.” Putin’s spring offensive has not made significant gains, according to defence experts. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to hint that a counter-offensive, using Western-supplied heavy weapons including British Challenger II tanks, could be launched soon.

In an address last night Mr Zelensky spoke of the “tremendous path” his country had taken in 400 days of resistance since Putin’s invasion on February 24, 2022. “Ukraine will win at the front ... we will not leave a single trace of Russia on our land, and we will not leave any enemy unpunished either. We are preparing news about this,” he said.

He did not give details but the Ukrainian military has been planning a counter-offensive. Ukraine said yesterday that Russian forces continued their assault on Bakhmut and nearby towns including Avdiivka.

The mining town of Bakhmut has been the site of the bloodiest infantry battle in Europe since the Second World War, with Russian forces seeking their first victory since mid-2022.

“Our defences are holding the city and repelling numerous enemy attacks,” the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said in a report on Facebook yesterday.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s parliament approved a bill yesterday to allow Finland to join Nato, with Sweden’s bid to become a member not as far advanced.

The Turkish parliament was the last among the 30 members of the defence alliance to ratify Finland’s membership after Hungary’s legislature approved a similar bill earlier this week.

Russia has repeatedly accused the West and Nato of playing a direct role in the Ukraine conflict by supplying weapons to Kyiv and has warned that the arms were “legitimate targets” for its armed forces. Nato member countries have given weapons, including tanks, bilaterally to Ukraine, rather than under the umbrella of the alliance.