Russian forces have been developing the advance in the area of Bakhmut (also known as Artemovsk) in the Donetsk People’s Republic amid international media jitters over the incident with US MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle in the Black Sea. As the United States voices its ‘deep concerns’ over the crash of the military combat drone in a close proximity to the Russian borders, US-controlled armed formations branded as the ‘Ukraine Armed Forces’ continue to lose ground in the region of Donbass.
As of March 15, Russian units took control of the village of Zalizyanskoe near the town of Orekhovo-Vasilievka, north of Bakhmut. Together with the recent Russian advances around of Kleshevka and in the direction of Stupochki, Kiev’s forces in Bakhmut have only the one route to flee. This is Bakhmut-Ivanovskoe-Chasov Yar. At the same time, almost entire Bakhmut-Ivanovskoe sector of this route is under fire from the Russians.
Despite this, the Zelensky regime does not seem demonstrating any wise thinking. Recently, the administration of the president of what left of Ukraine claimed that they are set to defend Bakhmut at any cost. Therefore, this sector remains the hottest point on the currently established contact line. The Russians successfully use their advantage in artillery and air power to inflict heavy losses to waves of conscripts and mercenaries that Kiev regularly sends to reinforce its forces in Bakhmut.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry released a fresh report on the progress of the military operation in Ukraine:
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
In Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched by Ground-Assault and Army aviation, as well as artillery of the ‘Zapad’ Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of AFU manpower and hardware near Grianikovka, Styopovaya Novosyolovka and Timkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were up to 70 servicemen, 1 armoured fighting vehicle, 3 pickup trucks, 2 motor vehicles, 1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, 1 D-20 howitzer, and 1 Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled howitzer.
In Krasny Liman direction, the attacks, launched by Ground-Assault and Army aviation, as well as artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the ‘Tsentr’ Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy units near Terny, Torskoye, Grigorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic), Chervonaya Dibrova and Nevskoye (Lugansk People’s Republic).The enemy losses were over 235 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armoured fighting vehicles, 4 pickup trucks, 1 D-20 howitzer, 2 Akatsiya and Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, as well as 1 U.S. manufactured M777 artillery system.
In Donetsk direction, the attacks, launched by aviation, as well as artillery of the ‘Yug’ Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of up to 160 Ukrainian servicemen, 1 tank, 1 infantry fighting vehicle, 2 armoured fighting vehicles and 4 motor vehicles.
The attacks have also resulted in the neutralisation of 1 Akatsia self-propelled artillery system, 1 D-20 howitzer, 2 Grad and Uragan MLRS, as well as 1 M777 artillery system and 1 U.S.-manufactured M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer.
3 munition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have also been destroyed near Dachnoye, Galicynovka and Novosyolovka Pervaya (Donetsk People’s Republic).
In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, as well as artillery of the ‘Vostok’ Group of Forces have launched fire attack against the AFU units near Ugledar, Prechistovka (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Scherbaki (Zaporozhye region).
Moreover, 1 sabotage and reconnaissance group of the enemy has been eliminated near Novodanilovka (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were up to 75 soldiers, 3 armoured fighting vehicles, 4 pickup trucks and 1 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system.
In Kherson direction, as a result of the shelling the enemy losses were over 35 Ukrainian servicemen, 6 motor vehicles and 1 D-30 howitzer.
Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 101th AFU artillery unit at their firing positions, manpower and hardware in 197 areas.
3 radar stations of Ukrainian S-300 air defence missile systems have been uncovered and destroyed near Ukrainsk, Novodmitrovka and Krasnoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Fighter Aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down 1 Mi-8 helicopter of Ukrainian Air Force near Uspenovka (Zaporozhye region).
Air defence facilities have intercepted 15 projectiles of HIMARS, Uragan and Olkha multiple-launch rocket systems, as well as 7 UAVs near Okop, Dvurechnoye (Kharkov region), Pervomaysk, Pokrovskoye (Lugansk People’s Republic), Yegorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Balochki (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 401 airplanes and 221 helicopters, 3,425 unmanned aerial vehicles, 412 air defence missile systems, 8,303 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,059 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,363 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 8,953 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Additionally to this, reports appeared that a warplane was shot down in the area of Bakhmut. Some of the sources claim that the warplane was operated by PMC Wagner. The very same sources claim that the pilot survived the incident.
Meanwhile, the conflict on the territory of former Ukraine showcases that the United States and its allies have been steadily trying to provoke even more larger conflict in Europe. Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Seymour Hersh reported on March 14 that the United States could get directly involved (SF comment: if somebody believes that it is not involved enough yet) the Ukraine conflict if it sees that Kiev’s forces are on the back foot.
Speaking at an event in Washington, DC hosted by the Committee for the Republic, a non-profit organization, Hersh noted that the US “did stupid things” during the Vietnam War, and suggested that Washington could “start doing something else” in the Ukraine conflict.
“I don’t know what happens if it goes bad for Ukraine, you have all this manpower,” he said, pointing out that the US has dispatched units of its 82nd and 101st elite airborne divisions close to the Ukrainian border, while “a lot of weapons and arms are coming” to Europe.
“I’m told the game is going to be: this is NATO, we are supporting NATO in offensive operations against the Russians, which is not going to fool the world… It’s us fighting Russia,” Hersh stressed, without disclosing his sources.
According to Hersh, “the big deal” is that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to come to an agreement with the Ukrainian government. “The deal is demilitarize, and it’s going to be a no-go for us,” the journalist said, adding that the Russian leader “has not put in his main force yet” in the conflict.
Summing up the Ukraine conflict, Hersh argued that “we just may be kidding ourselves what’s going on there and what the results are going to be”.
Hersh was the person that on February 1 and 2 released a report on last September’s Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipeline blasts, accusing Washington of orchestrating the attack. Mainstream Media and Western diplomats do their best in an attempt to cover this open secret in the shadow of speculations and lies. Regardless, the fact that at least some Western journalists are really interested in the truth brings a weak light of hope to the darkness of the global Mainstream Media propaganda.
