Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claims to have taken full control of Bakhmut. Lieutenant Colonel Johan Huovinen believes that the information may be correct – but plays down the military significance.
"But there is a certain signal value for the Ukrainian side that they have lost a city that they've been fighting over since October," he says. At present, it is difficult to say what this development may lead to, according to Huov Finnish. "As a geographical location, Bachmut probably does not play a role in a future Ukrainian offensive," he said.