via foxnews:
The status of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut was in question after Russia claimed it had gained control of it with the assistance of Wagner forces, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke solemnly of the city.
Speaking in Hiroshima, Japan Sunday during the G-7 Summit, Zelenskyy remarked that Bakhmut was “only in our hearts,” hours after Russia’s defense ministry claimed they had taken it.
“Mr. President, is Bakhmut still in Ukraine’s hands? The Russians say that they have taken Bakhmut,” a reporter asked Zelenskyy and President Biden at the summit.
“I think, no. But you have to transcend that there is nothing. They destroyed everything. There are no buildings,” Zelenskyy responded.
“It’s a pity, it’s tragedy but today Bakhmut is only in our hearts,” the Ukrainian president added. “There is nothing in this place. Just drones and a lot of dead Russians. But they came to us. So our defenders in Bakhmut, they did strong work. And of course, we appreciate them for their great job.”
Losing Bahkmut unhinges the Central Front, and allows the Russians to start trying to take the four large Torets River Valley cities.
Instead of heavily defending just one place, they now have to try and defend 4 large cities at the same time.
Bahkmut was built by the.Soviets to be a fortress city in the event of an attack by NATO, it is why the high-rise blocks had 20+ mile line-of-sites and 3-5 ft thick walls.
h/t Flying Elvii