Russian forces in the area of Bakhmut are losing the initiative due to the counterattacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This information was reported by analysts from the Institute for the Study of War on May 18.
"One prominent milblogger complained that russian forces must now react to Ukrainian actions, implying that russian forces are losing the initiative in the Bakhmut area despite the limited nature of Ukrainian counterattacks in the area", - says the ISW report.
Russian and Ukrainian officials acknowledged continued limited Ukrainian counterattacks near Bakhmut on May 17. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar and Ukrainian Eastern Group of Forces Spokesperson Colonel Serhiy Cherevaty reported about the successes of our defenders.
The russian Ministry of Defense claimed that russian Airborne Forces (VDV) made marginal advances but acknowledged continued Ukrainian counterattacks against Bakhmut’s flanks near Bohdanivka (5km northwest of Bakhmut) and Ivanivske (6km west of Bakhmut).
However, Wagner PMC head Yevgeny Prigozhin denied the MoD’s claim of territorial gains and criticized the MoD for falsely portraying a retreat as capturing new positions.
Earlier it was reported that the kremlin is trying to force Prigozhin to give up political ambitions.