British intelligence services said that Moscow suffered “heavy casualties” in its attacks on Bakhmut and Vuhledar

MADRID, February 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –

British intelligence services had confirmed this Monday that Moscow “most likely” confirmed they had captured the (eastern) Ukrainian town of Bakhmut on Friday, when the first anniversary of the start of the invasion was celebrated, before suggesting that this announcement would take place “beyond the realities on the ground”.

“Russia continues to carry out attacks on multiple axes in eastern Ukraine,” they said, before specifying that the main ones were Vuhledar, Kremina and Bakhmut. “Casualties are high, especially in Bakhmut and Vuhledar. In particular, the ‘elite’ 155th and 40th Brigades of the Naval Infantry Brigade had suffered very high losses at Vuhledar and were likely ineffective in combat,” they wrote.

They also indicated that “it is likely that Russian forces will come under heightened political pressure as the anniversary of the invasion approaches” and they stressed that “if Russia’s spring offensive achieves nothing, tensions within the Russian leadership will probably escalate”, according to a series of messages published by the UK Ministry of Defence on its account on the social network Twitter.

Russian troops have made some advances in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks and have managed to get close to Bakhmut, which is of strategic importance. Indeed, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Irina Vershchuk on Thursday asked residents of Bakhmut to leave the city because “fierce fighting is going on.”