The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on May 20 2023

Prigozhin claims complete control of Bakhmut

“Fall Of Bakhmut” [20 May 2023]

The Orchestra Concludes the Symphony

Battlefield Ukraine Bakhmut has Fallen

The Russian flag was hoisted in Artemivsk (Bakhmut). Next to it, the “musicians” put the banner of the Wagner PMC.

According to Yevgeny Prigozhin, for the next five days, the “orchestra” fighters will inspect the streets and create the necessary defense lines to transfer the positions to the control of the Russian Defense Ministry. 

On the capture of Bakhmut. Of course, the two hundred and twenty-five-day assault on the fortress city of Bakhmut became an unprecedented example of the heroism of the Wagner PMC and a brilliant demonstration of how people far from military affairs were able to create a well-trained assault corps, united by iron discipline, which pulled over the reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine assembled for  winter offensive, chained them to Bakhmut and ground them in a terrible meat grinder, making the word “Bakhmut” forever a symbol of bloody horror and defeat, just as Stalingrad once became such a symbol for the Nazis.  In the battles near Bakhmut and in the battle for Bakhmut, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost more than fifty thousand killed and missing and one hundred and twenty thousand wounded.  More than a hundred tanks, at least two hundred guns and MLRS and more than a thousand armored personnel carriers, armored vehicles and other vehicles were destroyed here.  Three shock corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed near Bakhmut and on its streets “to zero” and this is the same strategic defeat of Ukraine as the fall of Mariupol.  And the “Wagnerites” did it – Russian men of flesh and blood – saints and sinners – hard workers, veterans, yesterday’s military, “zeka” – they literally did the impossible, for all two hundred and twenty-five days they attacked the enemy many times superior to them, who defended himself in  city ​​turned into one huge fortress.  And they took her!  The “Bakhmut Fortress”, which Zelensky swore to defend, which became a symbol of Ukrainian pride, has fallen.
 No more Bakhmut!
 Now it’s Artyomovsk!
 Glory to Wagner!  https://t.me/ramzayiegokomanda/2665

Vladimir Putin congratulated the Wagnerites and the military of the Russian Armed Forces on the release of Bakhmut, the Kremlin reported.

“All those who distinguished themselves will be presented for state awards,” said Kremlin.

For the capture of Artemivsk

I’ve been watching the Bakhmut meat grinder from the inside since its early days, feeling the nerve of the events taking place in sufficient measure for a reporter.

And you know … Personally I have no joy for the newly liberated territory. Nor am I happy about Bakhmut itself, which in 224 days has become a ruin and is unlikely to be rebuilt in the coming years.

However, I am happy that the Wagner fighters mowed down a huge, outnumbered force of the AFU, not thanks to it, but in spite of it. Because this is a real feat of Russian arms, which should be included in the textbooks on the military history of our state.

The guys went in for the assault in their usual calculating, but energetic and assertive manner, and outplayed the enemy in a fair fight on short notice. At the same time, the Ukrainians and the mercenaries who joined them were also good, as the musicians themselves acknowledge and respect.

About Wagner’s withdrawal to the rear areas. I consider it fully deserved and necessary. For all the time they have been involved in the SMO they have had one task – assault. Everyone needs a rest.

But something tells me this rest will not be long and the Motherland will call her Band to battle again. And Wagner will take him on. But we shall see how events will unfold.

brussinf 

On Artemivsk for the evening.

1. A clean-up operation is still underway in the city. Individual soldiers or groups of the enemy may still be wandering around somewhere.

2. Large-scale demining has yet to take place in the city, which is not a quick process. It will take months (see Mariupol).

3. We can expect the Ukrainian Armed Forces to be driven out of Khromovo soon enough; with the current configuration of the front, it will be difficult to hold it, and with the loss of Artemivsk, it makes little sense to cling to it in the abstract.

4. Red will be held, because it covers one of the direct roads to Chasov Yar. Therefore, the fortification in Krasnoye is yet to be broken into (and probably will no longer be handled by Wagner).

5. The end of fighting in the town itself, will make it possible to refocus some of the artillery strikes on the flanking AFU groups stuck in semi-position to the north-west and south-west of the town, which should have a positive effect on the course of hostilities and allow for at least some of the recently lost positions to be regained in the relatively near future. The AFU will probably still continue to launch attacks to take at least some villages and smooth out the gloomy picture of defeat in Artemivsk – attacks on Kleshcheevka, Kurdyumovka and Sacco Vanzetti are quite possible, the enemy has not yet wasted all reserves here.

6. We can expect a build-up of artillery attacks on Chasov Yar and Kostyantynivka, as well as continued intensive strikes against AFU forces in the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration.

7. It is not yet clear whether Russian commanders will activate alternatives involving strikes on Seversk or Dzerzhinsk. In terms of front configuration Seversk looks quite promising.

Liberation of Bakhmut situation as of 17.00 on May 20, 2023

After the flight of the 60th and 93rd OMBRs, as well as 241 brigades of the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the southwestern outskirts of Bakhmut, the assault detachments of the Wagner PMC completely liberated the city. Until May 25, the territories will be cleaned from the presence of Ukrainian formations.

Despite the long-awaited success, the situation at the front is only approaching the active phase. The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost tens of thousands of people during the defense of Bakhmut and Soledar, but parts of the strategic reserve were not involved.

New formations from the 9th and 10th Army Corps are in the rear areas and are preparing for an attack. The radio intercepts of the members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted the third decade of May as a possible start of the offensive.

In recent weeks, artillery units have been preparing guns for intensive shelling, and ammunition has been brought to warehouses. And at the tactical level, combat orders have already been sent out.

🔻Bakhmut is released, and this victory will go down in history as one of the largest battles. And it is his fall that can become a catalyst for the start of the long-awaited offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Considering the flank attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Bakhmut, the accumulation of formations in the Zaporozhye and South-Donetsk directions, as well as in the Kupyansko-Svatovsky, it is there that the main enemy strikes should be expected

The Armed Forces of Ukraine will announce the withdrawal from Bakhmut after the G7 summit. Now they will deny it.

As usual in such cases, they will say that they left the last quarter, since it was not safe to keep it, and so on. It is better to transfer forces to the flanks and continue to try to surround the city.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are conducting an operation to encircle Bakhmut, – Cherevaty
▪️The speaker of the Eastern Group of Forces made several propaganda statements on the situation around Artyomovsk (Bakhmut). He announced the dreams of the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to encircle the city, for which offensive operations are carried out on the flanks. Ukrainian propaganda is clearly trying to cheer up its herd, which has lost the city, which was for Ukraine a symbol of the “invincibility of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
▪️In addition, the talking head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to prepare the public for the truth that Ukrainian troops left the city. He stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine “may soon leave Bakhmut.”
“There is a very small area left, and it is already easy to shell it and it is difficult to keep a lot of people there. Therefore, it is clear that sooner or later, for security reasons, we will get out of there,” he said.

Ukro source:

Our source in the Presidential Office said that Zelensky will make statements about the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Bakhmut, but the CIPSO is already dispersing the narrative about the battle on the flanks of the city as the main goal of the Ukrainian army. If the Armed Forces of Ukraine cannot capture Bakhmut within ten days, then the counteroffensive will be pointless, and Syrsky will have to admit the failure of his plan.

The whole problem now is that there is no one to decide on the situation around Bakhmut and publicly announce further actions. Soledar has been silent for ten days, but now the attention of the whole world is turned to Bakhmut, which means that the President’s office will have to reflect in a short space of time.”

We are all already waiting for your denomination and deceptive versions. The competition for the “most absurd comment” is open

Bakhmut is now Artyomovsk.

We just drove into the communication coverage area, and then such news came.

This was expected by many. And us too. We even got ahead of the events a couple of days ago, Prigozhin and the major channels reproached us for our haste.

Artyomovsk has become a symbol of the glory of Russian weapons, the steadfastness of fighters and commanders who, despite objective difficulties and frankly artificial problems, won.

We do not know the further fate of PMC “Wagner”, but what this private-state army did is really cool.

Glory to PMC “Wagner”!

Long live Artyomovsk!

It should be noted that the joy comes not so much from the capture of the city of Bakhmut, which is in ruins, but from the defeat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including mercenaries, which outnumbered the fighters of the PMC Wagner.

Colleagues, since January, the Pentagon has been insisting on the withdrawal of troops from Bakhmut, and when the meat grinder began, Zaluzhny also spoke about this, but politicians laid too many symbols in this city to simply withdraw the troops. That is why the Armed Forces of Ukraine had to defend Bakhmut in a tactical environment, losing more than 100 pieces of equipment on the road of life, and as a result, we lost the city and are now trying to pick at the enemy’s defenses on the flanks. Why Syrsky did not launch a counteroffensive in February is a big question, and then the weather or climate weapons prevented him. If the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not now achieve significant success on the flanks of Bakhmut, then the counteroffensive will fail and the question will arise about the readiness of Ukraine for the battle of the Sea of Azov, which is hundreds of times more difficult in scale.

https://t.me/ZeRada1/13802

It’s not about “celebrating”, it’s about properly recognizing who is consistently wrong, and who is consistently right.

We are in an information war, and it’s paramount that the bystanders can distinguish the bullshitters from the truth tellers.

There is method to the madness.

Also, the other side do not listen to reason. They are unfazed by facts and logic. They only learn/change via emotion.

So when they launch disinformation campaigns responsible for brainwashing the entire Western world, they need to feel shame to deter them from assisting in the brainwashing, which is prolonging of the war.

If the Western World knew the truth, this war wouldn’t be happening.

 Losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bakhmut meat grinder may exceed 30 thousand people

For a modern war – huge numbers. In addition, given the fact that in Artyomovsk the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost their best and most trained personnel, including officers, this operation was very expensive for Kyiv.

According to various estimates, the loss of Ukrainians killed in the battle for Bakhmut ranges from 30 to 50 thousand.

 200 USD billion given to Ukraine, entire NATO intelligence infrastructure, advisors, mercenaries and 2nd largest army in Europe, NATO “standard army training” since 2014…
And “Wagner” humiliated entire NATO

#Artyomovsk for the Evening⚡️

🔹1. A Sweep is still being carried out in the city. Individual soldiers or groups of the enemy can still wander somewhere.

🔹2. Largescale Mine Clearance has yet to be carried out in the city, this is not a quick process. It will take months (see #Mariupol).

🔹3. We can expect that soon enough the AFU will be expulsed from #Khromovo, with the current configuration of the front it will be difficult to hold it, and with the loss of #Artyomovsk, the meaning of clinging to it is quite abstract.

🔹4. #Krasnoye one will be kept, since it covers one of the direct roads to Chasov Yar. Therefore, breaking into the fortified area in #Krasnoye is still to be done (and probably not ‘Wagner’ will be engaged in this anymore).

🔹5. The End of the Fighting in the city itself will allow refocusing some of the artillery strikes on the AFU flanking groups stuck in a semi-position to the northwest and southwest of the city, which should have a positive effect on the course of hostilities and will allow at least some of the recently lost positions to be returned in the relatively near future. The AFU will probably still continue to launch attacks in order to take at least some village and smooth out the gloomy picture of defeat in #Artyomovsk – attacks on #Kleshchiyevka, #Kurdyumovka and Sacco & Vanzetti are quite possible, the enemy has not yet spent all the reserves here.

🔹6. We can expect an increase in artillery impact on Chasov Yar and #Konstantinovka, as well as the continuation of intense strikes against the AFU  forces in the #Slavyansk – #Kramatorsk agglomeration.

🔹7. It is not yet clear whether the Russian command will activate alternative options related to strikes on #Seversk or #Dzerzhinsk. From the point of view of the configuration of the front, #Seversk looks quite a promising option.

Boris Rozhin

Regarding Reports of the AFU Escape in Chasov Yar during the Day – That’s Wrong⚡️

Today, the enemy, despite the loss of #Artyomovsk, continued to hammer on the flanks of our group. To the north of #Khromovo, the enemy was able to push the units of the 1307th Motorized Rifle Regiment (the mobilized #Omsk people are fighting there), but after the approach of the Wagner reinforcements, the position was returned to our control.

Boris Rozhin

The battle of Bakhmut is over, being, for the moment, the most costly battle of the Russian-Ukrainian war. These nine months of fighting, advances and retreats have cost the lives of many soldiers on both sides. On the other hand, the degree of destruction of the city is high and its reconstruction is not contemplated in the near future. It is very possible that the city will recover its old Soviet name, changed in 2016 due to the Ukrainian nationalist policy. However, history is written by the victors, so the Russians are likely to make this change feasible.
With Bakhmut taken, the next phase for the Russian side will be to expand the buffer zone around it, which implies the continuation of the offensive towards the canal zone and the outskirts of Chasiv Yar (It is not known if Wagner will participate in it after carrying the full weight of the Bakhmut operation or if he will take a break after this success). However, the possible operation to take the city is not contemplated in the near future as the Ukrainian positions are more advantageous and defensible in case of a Russian attack. What is more feasible is the continuation of the war of attrition by the Russian side, making small advances with a view to retaining as many Ukrainian troops in this region as possible.
On the other hand, the resistance and tenacity of the Ukrainian side has been commendable, capable of facing Wagner’s PMC and the Russian artillery potential. Since March, the troops have avoided the operational encirclement of the city by maintaining the two main supply routes and intermittently sending reinforcements. Even the small offensive carried out in recent days has relieved the pressure on these routes and the final withdrawal of its soldiers. This resistance has allowed the Ukrainians to gain time to prepare the offensive towards the Sea of Azov, although only time will tell if the effort and wear and tear has been worth it.
What does seem clear is that the battle of Bakhmut has not been a turning point for any side and the war is still far from over unfortunately.

Strikes were made on the bases of the Bakhmut grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kramatorsk
 The explosions took place in the vicinity of Kramatorsk Airport, which has been turned into a supply hub and headquarters center of the enemy. Previously, the headquarters of the Punitive Operation in Donbass was located at the airfield. Now also headquarters and supply bases.

The enemy has completed preparations for an offensive on the Zaporozhye front, – Khodakovsky
 ”Today, May 20, the preparation of the enemy for an offensive in the Zaporozhye direction was to be completed. All the previous days he was concentrating forces, coordinating, strengthening air defense – in general, he was engaged in the military work required in such cases. At the same time, the epic with Bakhmut was coming to an end , at the end of which, according to Prigozhin, the enemy will inevitably go on the offensive. Two circumstances coincided, there are no visible reasons not to attack – we begin the countdown.”

I’m tired of seeing fakes with old photos supposedly from Cyprus at an expensive resort during preparations for an AFU offensive. According to my spies, General Zaluzhny was severely wounded in early May in a missile attack on the AFU headquarters near Pavlograd, Dnepropetrovsk Region. He underwent several severe surgical operations after which, if he survives, he will definitely not be able to adequately command the army. The Western masters forbade the Ukrainian clowns to talk about this so that it would not affect the morale of the Ukrainian soldiers before the offensive, because he enjoys undeniable authority and love among the soldiers and officers. Everyone understands that without him there is no chance of success for the Ukrainian army at all, and any offensive will be a mass suicide.

I’m just very worried and want to warn the Ukrainian soldiers that if they have to change something quickly in the offensive operation, it will be done by some dunce, or even worse – Zelensky clown. But all the same, Zaluzhny can be written off as a military chief.
Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

JokerDPR

The Ministry of Defense continues to refute rumors about the disappearance and “death” of  Zaluzhny.

For the last week, Russian publics have been spreading information that no one has seen him since May 8. And also that on that day he could have been seriously injured during a missile strike on the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Today, Deputy Defense Minister Mailar on the air of the telethon denied the “death” of Zaluzhny and stated that the spread of such rumors could be a harbinger of an attempt on the commander-in-chief and other Ukrainian generals.

In the evening, in her telegram channel, she said that “the commander-in-chief is in place. Doing his job. We just talked.”

Mailar explains the campaign for the “death” of Zaluzhny by saying that “the peak of tension has come in Bakhmut, when even a few demoralized military from our side will ease the situation for them.”

“Actually, for the sake of this, there are a lot of premature reports about the “capture” of Bakhmut,” Mailar added.

Special Operation, 20 May 2023, Main;

▪️ Prigozhin said Russian forces have full control of Artyomovsk;

▪️ Pushilin on the liberation of Artyomovsk: it is necessary to go further;

▪️ U.S. to supply F-16 fighter jets does not support Kiev’s attacks on Russian territory, White House said;

▪️ Ukrainian military tried to conduct reconnaissance combat at the frontline in the SouthDonetsk direction near Novoselovka, but were destroyed;

▪️ African Peace Initiative on Ukraine is under discussion;

▪️ G7 leaders in their final statement reiterated their intention to support Kiev “for as long as it takes”;

▪️ Ukrainian Defense Ministry head said a new Ramstein meeting will be held next week, with air defense systems as Kiev’s top priority;

▪️ China’s Special Representative for the Settlement of the Conflict in Ukraine Li Hui may visit Moscow next week;

#Chronicle of the Special Military Operation for 20 May 2023⚡️

🔹The Key Event of Today was the completion of the #Bakhmut epic: nine and a half months later, the city was liberated from Ukrainian formations. Nevertheless, the fall of #Bakhmut may become a catalyst for the start of the long-awaited AFU offensive.

🔹Last Night, Russian kamikaze drones of the Geran family made another raid on enemy facilities in #Kiev. Explosions sounded in the Dneprovsky, Darnitsa, Pechersky and Solomensky districts of the capital.

🔹At the same Time, on the day of celebrating the anniversary of the return of #Mariupol, the AFU fired several rockets at the city. All targets were intercepted by Russian air defence systems.

Read more on our  Website

War Map and the Situation on the Fronts in the Evening of 20 May 2023, pub. 00:04⚡️

🇷🇺 The Russian Tricolour was hoisted over #Artyomovsk today (https://t.me/readovkanews/59226). Evgeny Prigozhin stated (https://t.me/readovkanews/59214) that the city’s territory is fully under the control of the Wagner PMC. “The Bakhmut meat grinder lasted 224 days. During this time, the 404 authorities sent tens of thousands of soldiers to their certain deaths (https://t.me/readovkanews/59218). Of course, one should not expect the truth about the huge losses from the #Kiev regime as well as an admission (https://t.me/readovkanews/59216) of the reality.

⚔️ The Situation on the Fronts over the past Day:

🔹#Svatovo – #Kremennaya Direction:

▪️ An Ukrainian SRG was destroyed near #Kislovka. The Russian army advanced towards #Grigorovka in the #Serebryanskoye forestry. Positional fighting continues near #Belogorovka.

🔹#Artyomovsk (#Bakhmut) Sector:

🤚 After the Liberation of #Artyomovsk, the city is being cleared. Demining activities will also be carried out in the area. Evgeny Prigozhin said (https://t.me/readovkanews/59226) that Wagner PMC units will hand over positions to the RF Armed Forces and withdraw units from the city.

🔹#Donetsk Direction:

▪️ Russian fighters are advancing towards #Severnoye from the direction of #Vodyanoye, continuing to cover #Avdeyevka. Fighting is going on at #Pervomayskoye, as well as ours are trying to dislodge the militants from the western part of #Maryinka. Additionally, enemy positions near #Novomikhaylovka have been attacked.

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