By Bond Robertson 
The Russians are making little progress in Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine.
This is what the Ukrainian military told Reuters news agency.
– The enemy continues its attack on the city of Bakhmut, but the defense forces heroically repulsed the attackers and attacks, the General Staff of the Defense Forces of Ukraine said in a statement.
According to the Ukrainian defence, they have resisted 57 Russian attacks on the city in eastern Ukraine.
Defensive: Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, advised Ukrainian forces to leave Bakhmut at the beginning of March. Today, according to reports, the Russian advance is absent. Photo: AP/NTB
Tom Rosth, Principal Lecturer in Intelligence at the Norwegian Defense Academy, believes that the development in Bakhmut is a clear example of Russian military operations in general.
– The situation now is such that the Russians seem to have reached their peak. They are not able to conduct offensive operations. They have to carry out defensive operations, and this is especially evident in Bakhmut, Rousta tells TV 2.
Warmer weather: Dry land opens up new attacks, says Tom Røseth at the Norwegian Defense Academy. Photo: Odd Arne Hartvigsen/TV 2
Waiting for dry land
The Russians are also implementing a project north of Bakhmut, but that, too, seems to be diminishing, according to Roseth.
The Director of Intelligence believes that wet weather helps make offensive operations difficult.
– but when it dries up, both of them will want to launch attacks again. Ukraine appears to have the most capacity for a counterattack that could make a difference after the spring, Roseth explains.
However, he points out, there is a lot more that can’t be predicted. Not only do the Ukrainians hold their cards close to their chest, the success of the Ukrainians depends on whether the West provides enough ammunition.
The global community is exhausted
The Associated Press quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as saying that Russia’s seizure of Bakhmut could mean greater international support for Russia.
– He wants to sell this victory to the West, to China (…) The international community is exhausted. Our society, Zelensky explains, will force me to enter into concessions with them (Russia, Anem magazine), if Bakhmut falls.
Warning: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes Putin would benefit diplomatically if Bakhmut fell. Photo: Presidential Press Service of Ukraine/AFP
Tom Roseth believes that Putin’s “clatter of nuclear sabers” is a sign of the Kremlin’s fear of a Ukrainian attack.
– When Russia is struggling along the front, they like to get rid of nuclear weapons and try to deter the West, Rosth explains.
It is believed that Ukrainian forces have the upper hand when it comes to attacking weapons and warfare.
– Western weapons are much more capable in many ways, when it comes to having armor-piercing weapons and how to protect personnel, says Roseth.
Crimea may threaten
The equipment that Ukraine’s defense has requires joint training and preparation, but Rosth believes that Ukrainians prefer to attack when they have the chance, rather than fully train.
– I don’t think we should imagine a quick and successful attack. Opportunities exist, Rosth says, to split the Russian land bridge between Crimea and Donbass, and thus threaten Crimea.
– We hope you will push Moscow to the negotiating table.
Empty: Xi Jinping left Russia without promising armed support to Putin. Soon after, the Russian president said they were going to put nuclear weapons in Belarus. Photo: Sergey Karpukhin
For his part, Putin is looking forward to Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet Volodymyr Zelensky at the negotiating table.
The Ukrainian president himself expressed his desire to speak with the Chinese president.
– We are ready to meet him here. I want to talk to him. We had talks before the total war. But after the war began, more than a year ago, I didn’t speak to him, Zelensky told The Associated Press.