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As the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine approaches, Russia is increasingly under pressure to claim a big victory, notably the capture of the important city of Bakhmut, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The ministry said in an intelligence update on Monday that no matter how the fight for the city is faring, Russia intends to declare a victory there by February 24, or the country’s leadership faces the risk of increasing domestic tensions.
«It is likely that Russia will claim that Bakhmut has been captured to align with the anniversary, regardless of the reality on the ground,» the MoD said.
Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, has been besieged and effectively ruined by Russian forces since the onset of the war in Ukraine. Late last year, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said it had been reduced to «burned ruins.
