Giving up Bachmut is psychologically very sensitive due to the great symbolic value that has little strategic place in itself. According to Hahn, therefore, it has no “direct consequences for the occupation of the whole Donbass”. Withdrawal is seen as a serious option.’
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army in Bachmut no longer fights exclusively against the mercenaries of the Wagner group, but also against the Russian paratroopers liberated with the retreat from Kherson. “Part of them would now fight at Bachmoet, also because the Russians want to show that it’s not just Wagnerians who are fighting here.”
F-16
Meanwhile, the topic of “fighter aircraft for Ukraine” is at the top of everyone’s agenda. Except perhaps that of Joe Biden, who answered categorically “no” to reporters’ questions about whether the United States would keep. The French Macron and the Dutch premier Rutte do not rule it out, the British defense minister Wallace says that now it is ‘no’, but that it can become a ‘yes’ later.
However, the chance of that happening seems slim, BNR foreign commentator Bernard Hammelburg “because the biggest concern of all is not that they won’t give it to Ukraine, but because it will be very difficult to agree that they won’t use it to enter Russian territory. ” bomb.’ “With a fighter plane like that you can get from one part of the country to the other in twelve minutes.”
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