Ukraine is probably conducting a "limited tactical withdrawal" from Bakhmut, according to war analysts.
Conflicting weekend reports make it unclear how much of the city is already under Russian control.
Bakhmut sits near the twin cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, both of which have been taken by Russian forces.
- Moscow deployed some of the best-trained troops from the Wagner mercenary group to take Bakhmut.
- "The defense is holding," according to a commander of Ukrainian troops in the region who said on Telegram that no retreat orders had been issued.
- The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank has speculated that if Kyiv were to retreat from the city, it would not pull all its forces out at once.
- Ukrainian forces are likely conducting a "limited tactical withdrawal" from the city, according to analysts from the ISW.
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- Bakhmut's civilian population has fallen from 70,000 before the Russian invasion to under 6,000.
