Ukraine’s defence minister slams Russian ‘imperialism’, says Bakhmut remains under Kyiv’s control

He said that Ukraine is using the region to exhaust Moscow’s offensive, adding Russia has suffered over 60,000 casualties over the past eight months in a bid to seize control of the city.

He also accused Moscow of using its soldiers like cannon fodder.

“We use Bakhmut as a stronghold to reduce their (Russia’s) offensive capability,” said Mr Reznikov.

“We are (still) controlling this territory. (But) Bakhmut is no longer a city. They (the Russians) have wiped out everything. No residential buildings, no kindergartens, no hospitals. Nothing. It’s an empty place.”

Mr Reznikov said that Russia’s use of mercenaries instead of its armed forces in the battle for Bakhmut showed incompetency and division within the Kremlin.

“This means it is not a good situation for them internally. It means the struggle among the Kremlin powers continues,” he said.

‘IMPERIALIST’ RUSSIA

Mr Reznikov also accused Moscow of imperialism, saying the Kremlin is trying to restore Russia to the past glory of the Soviet empire by using force over lost territories.

“They (the Russians) are still gathering lands. They cannot accept that small countries can live separately, independently, and with their own values. They still have an imperialism approach – the one great Russia or Soviet Union. But for us, the doctrine that ‘might is right’, is unacceptable,” he said.