"Conservative Assessment": Bakhmut's capture cost Russia in 60,000 killed and wounded - the media
He also stated that there were all the signs that Ukraine could start a counter -offensive in the near future. "We believe that the capture of Bakhmut has probably cost Russia at least 60,000 casualties on Bakhmut-Popasna during a battle that lasts a whole year," the official said. The source also noted that it was a "conservative grade". According to him, about a third of all losses are killed.
The official added that in the West it is estimated that the Ukrainian forces have already departed from the central part of the city. "We see that Wagner's forces are in the process of withdrawal at least at the moment. Replacing these power elements is an important obligation of the already overloaded regular forces of Russia," the official said. Recall that US President Joe Biden said on May 21 that the Russians lost 100,000 people in Bakhmut's battle.
However, according to him, the Russians are not going to abandon its full occupation and daily lose a huge number of people from personnel. "The truth is that Russia has suffered more than 100,000 people in Bakhmut. It will be difficult to fill. No matter whether it is occupied or not - there are still no buildings left there. It is a substantially destroyed city," the American leader said.
Also reminded that on May 23, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Alexei Danilov said that part of Bakhmut is still under the control of the Armed Forces. In the Bakhmut district, in ten months, the Armed Forces destroyed the mercenaries of Wagner PEC, special forces and units of the Airborne, representatives of other troops, as well as a large number of equipment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.