Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said on Tuesday that gaining control over Bakhmut, or Artyomovsk, will pave the way for Moscow's troops to carry out further offensives "deep into the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine."
Shoygu's remarks counter comments by United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who claimed yesterday that taking over the city would not have "strategic and operational value."
Addressing the leadership of the Russian military, Shoygu also pointed out that the Ukrainian forces did not benefit on the battlefield from weapons deliveries and training by NATO countries.
