Civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut are reportedly fleeing their homes. The Ukrainian army is assisting in this. Many claim that the evacuation of civilians signals the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Bakhmut.

Qatar-based news outlet Al-Jazeera said Associated Press (AP) reporters on Saturday (March 4) saw Ukrainian soldiers helping the remaining residents of Bakhmut to reach the nearby village of Khromov.

It is also known that currently Russian forces are near Bakhmut. In some places, members of the Russian mercenary force Wagner have also infiltrated. While Ukraine has yet to officially announce its withdrawal from Bakhmut, an announcement is expected to come at some point.

According to Ukrainian military intelligence officials and Western analysts, the Ukrainian army destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut in the past 36 hours. One of which connects the city with the nearby city of Chasiv Yar.

The British Ministry of Defense said in a regular Twitter update that the bridges were destroyed to prevent Russian fighters from entering the northern part of Bakhmut. The Russian military is increasing pressure on the Ukrainian authorities.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Friday (March 3) that Kiev’s moves could lead to the evacuation of civilians from parts of Bakhmut.

Al-Jazeera says civilians are being forced to flee war-torn Bakhmut despite the army’s help. A woman was seriously injured by Russian forces while fleeing the city on Saturday. He is said to have died later.

A representative of the Ukrainian army, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP that the current situation in Bakhmut is very bad. Even leaving the city by car has become risky for its residents. In such a situation, everyone is leaving the city on foot.

The Russian army has been continuously attacking Bakhmu for eight months. They were joined by the Russian mercenary army Wagner Group. They were slowly moving towards the city by attacking at the moment since a few months ago.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Friday (March 3) that his fighters had surrounded Bakhmut. In the latest video, Prigogine directly calls on Zelensky to withdraw troops from the city.

Bakhmut residents Hennadi Mazepa and his wife Natalya Ishkova said the fierce fighting had left much of the city in ruins. Speaking to AP on Saturday, Ishkova said, “We are suffering from lack of food and basic facilities.

‘Once a month we are given humanitarian aid. There is no electricity, no water, no gas. Still I pray to God, everyone in this city will live.’

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has made the highest pledge to protect Bakhmut. For this he called upon his allies. Meanwhile, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visited Ukraine on Saturday. At the time, he called for the country to be allowed to start talks on European Union (EU) membership this year.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met on Friday to demonstrate their partnership over the supply of tanks to Ukraine.

Ahead of the meeting, the Kremlin warned that Western arms supplies to Ukraine would prolong the conflict and bring misery to the Ukrainian people. On the other hand, the United States responded to Moscow’s warning by offering another $400 million in security assistance to Ukraine.

Source: Al Jazeera

SAH