In this area, the “Wagnerians” lost more than 4,000 people killed and 10,000 wounded.

The Russian military is likely replacing a depleted mercenary force from the Wagner PMC to intensify its offensive on Bakhmut.

“Wagner PMC forces in the Bakhmut area have not made significant progress since the capture of Soledar. Russian army units are now engaged in battles for Bakhmut with the aim of intensifying the Russian offensive,” the ISW report said.

Experts analyzed footage of the fighting published on January 20. On them you can see the Russian BMD-4M, a mechanized niche equipment that is used exclusively by paratroopers. In this regard, they came to the conclusion that the Russian Airborne Forces are operating around Bakhmut.

ISW added that the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is increasingly reporting that Russian airborne troops have been operating in the Bakhmut area since the beginning of January 2023. According to analysts, this indicates that Russian troops are reinforcing or replacing the Wagnerites. It is noted that after the transfer of additional forces, the Russians probably did not exhaust their offensive potential.

One anonymous US official reportedly said on January 5 that Wagner Group’s forces had suffered more than 4,100 deaths and 10,000 wounded. Of them, more than 1,000 were killed in the period from the end of November to the beginning of December near Bakhmut.

The situation near Bakhmut

The Eastern Group of Forces reported that the occupiers constantly resort to assaults in the Bakhmut direction, Avdiiv and Vugledar directions in order to break through Ukrainian defenses.

In his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi stated that the situation at the front near Bakhmut and Vugledar in Donetsk region remains extremely acute.

According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian invaders began to use helicopters and airplanes more often on the front line due to the intensification of hostilities near Bakhmut in Donetsk region.