The adviser to the President of Ukraine admitted the possibility of the withdrawal of the Ukrainian armed forces from Bakhmut

The Ukrainian army could withdraw its troops from Bakhmut, a Ukrainian presidential adviser said on Wednesday, assuming that Russia could seize the city, which has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.
Kremlin forces waged a bloody months-long offensive to capture Bakhmut, a salt and gypsum mining town in eastern Ukraine.
“Our army will obviously evaluate all options. For now, they are holding the city, but if necessary, they will withdraw strategically,” Oleksandr Rodnyansky, economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , told CNN. “We are not going to sacrifice our people like this.”
The Battle of Bakhmut became the epitome of Ukrainian resolve as the city’s defenders came under relentless shelling and Russian troops suffered heavy casualties.
Bakhmut is located in the Donetsk region, half of whose territory was annexed by Russia. To capture the remaining half of the region, Russian forces must pass through Bakhmut, the only outpost blocking the way to major cities held by Ukraine since Ukrainian forces retook Izyum in neighboring Kharkiv region in September. .
Analysts say the fall of Bakhmut would have been a blow for Ukraine and would have given Russia a tactical advantage, but would not have been decisive for the outcome of the war.
Rodnyansky noted that Russia used the best forces of the Wagner group to attempt to encircle the city. A private military company known for its brutal tactics is headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has long-standing ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Wednesday, Prigozhin said he saw no signs of Ukrainian troop withdrawals and that Kiev was in fact strengthening its position.
“The Ukrainian army is bringing additional troops and doing everything possible to keep control of the city,” Prigozhin said. “Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are putting up fierce resistance and the fighting is getting bloodier every day.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said earlier this week that reinforcements had been sent to Bakhmut.