Bakhmut becomes "a magnet in the war,” receiving the best Western weapons – Zelensky

Photo: Office of the President

Ksenia Omelchenko

Bakhmut has assumed the function of a magnet in the war, and the best and newest weapons that Ukraine receives from Western partners are directed there.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a press conference in Kyiv, Ukrinform reports.

"Bakhmut was not prepared for a full-scale war, it is a small city, but it so happened that such great forces met there. Bakhmut took on the function of a magnet, and that's the whole story… I don't want to talk about the details, but all the best and most modern weapons people have received and are receiving on this front: the best systems, the best artillery. I think there is the most powerful defense that could be planned. This direction is a large, large number of troops. If it were not for all this, then the defense would be impossible." – said Zelensky.

According to the President, the weapons coming from the partners were immediately redirected to the Bakhmut front. Zelensky stressed that this is the most important and the only thing that could be done.

"No other defense and no other fortification will help there. Only weapons. Fifty thousand artillery shells hit [by Russians – ed.] there every day," Zelensky explained.

He asserted that an illustrative demonstration of the strength of Bakhmut's defenses is shown in a large number of casualties, most of whom were Wagner PMC mercenaries.

"21,000 "Wagnerites" were destroyed in Bakhmut, and another 60,000 were wounded. In other words, 81,000 Wagnerites were lost there. Is our defense strong there? Are there strong people, commanders? It's obvious," the president said.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky prompted interest amongst the audience by expressing his gratitude towards the Ukrainian soldiers in the Bakhmut direction for "the news we are waiting for."