Knowra Battle of Bakhmut Battle of Bakhmut A prolonged battle in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, fought around Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces captured the city in May 2023 after months of intense combat.
Siege warfare : A military method of isolating and attacking a defended place to compel its surrender. Russian forces sought to encircle Bakhmut, while Ukrainian defenders held positions inside and around the city.
Russian invasion of Ukraine : Russia’s full-scale military attack on Ukraine, launched on 24 February 2022. The battle was one campaign within Russia’s wider invasion.
Yevgeny Prigozhin : A Russian businessman and head of the Wagner Group until his death in 2023. He directed Wagner’s assault and repeatedly challenged Russia’s military leadership over the campaign.
Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian War : Deaths and injuries among military personnel and civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Bakhmut became associated with exceptionally heavy losses, though reliable totals remain disputed.
Urban warfare : Combat conducted in towns and cities, where buildings, streets, and civilian presence shape military operations. Ruined buildings and street-level positions turned Bakhmut into a costly close-combat battlefield.
Donbas : An eastern Ukrainian region encompassing Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Bakhmut lies in Donetsk Oblast, within the wider Donbas theater of war.
Valery Gerasimov : A Russian general who served as chief of the General Staff and commander of Russian forces in Ukraine. His command role placed Russia’s regular military alongside Wagner in the battle.
Attrition warfare : A strategy that seeks to wear down an opponent through sustained losses of personnel and materiel. Both sides expended substantial forces in a battle whose outcome came at high cost.
Artillery warfare : The use of guns, rockets, and mortars to strike targets at a distance. Sustained artillery fire devastated the city and supported attacks on defensive positions.
Bakhmut : A city in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine, formerly known as Artemivsk. The city’s location and transport connections made it a focal point of the campaign.
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