Battlefield Bakhmut: Why Russia & Ukraine are Fighting Over this City

Update on Russian military operations in Ukraine for December 21, 2022: - Pentagon admits Russia is gaining ground in Bakhmut; - Zelensky visit to Bakhmut mirrors similar visit to Lysychansk before it fell to Russian forces; - Western media admits Russia has Ukraine outgunned 6 to 1 in Bakhmut; - Claims that Russian losses are as significant as catastrophic toll Ukraine is suffering in Bakhmut does not reflect reality if Russia outguns Ukraine significantly; - Bakhmut is a significant transportation hub and a crucial fortified position along one of Ukraine’s last major defensive lines in the east; - The fall of Bakhmut may lead to a similar breakthrough like Popasna; - Russian forces appear interested in destroying Ukraine’s military at Bakhmut more than taking the city itself; References: Gonzalo Lira Roundtable - The Roundtable #38: Why Bakhmut Matters: AP - Russian rockets hit eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk (May