When it comes to the battle for Bakhmut, it seems like things just keep getting worse, and by worse I mean like a game of whack-a-mole where Russia pops up with more and more mercenary forces, claiming control of the outskirts of the city faster than a kid can gobble up candy at a carnival. And, of course, they’re doing it all while pointing fingers and accusing the remaining Ukrainian forces of, get this, “retreating and deliberately destroying the city’s infrastructure and residential buildings to slow down the advance of Russian troops.” Classic move, Russia. Classic move.
But, let’s not jump to conclusions just yet, because those claims “could not be immediately verified.” So, let’s focus on what we do know – that the Ukrainian soldiers are holding onto a tiny circle of destroyed buildings in a western neighborhood of Bakhmut, determined to keep the Russian forces at bay because, apparently, the city has some sort of symbolic significance. Maybe it’s because they want to prove that they can hold onto something, anything, after months of this back-and-forth nonsense.
As it turns out, Ukraine’s allies seem to be scratching their heads and wondering why they’re sustaining significant casualties to hang onto a city that’s been reduced to rubble. Honestly, I don’t blame them. It’s like holding onto a soggy, falling-apart cookie because you’re convinced that it’s the last one in existence. But hey, to each their own.
Meanwhile, attention is starting to shift to the southern front as Russia builds up troops and plants landmines along the Sea of Azov. Sounds like a lovely day at the beach, doesn’t it? And if that wasn’t bad enough, the Russian authorities have begun evacuating children (and who knows what else) from the Zaporizhzhia region to Crimea because of the “threat of fighting.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’d want to be anywhere near Crimea right now.
But wait, there’s more! Russian officials have apparently deported thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-held territory. Under the guise of evacuating them from the threat of fighting, the International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for war crimes. Um, yeah. That seems like a pretty sound reason for arrest if you ask me.
And if all of that wasn’t enough to make you want to scream into a pillow, Russia decided to keep up their tradition of shelling towns and cities behind the front line. Just a little missile strike on a residential area in Sloviansk, nothing major. Only 11 people were killed and 22 others injured. Plus, a few other strikes happened too, killing a few teenagers here, a few more people there. NBD. And to add insult to injury, it’s Holy Week for Orthodox Christians. But hey, no big deal, right?
But, all hope isn’t lost because 130 Ukrainian prisoners of war were returned in an Easter swap with Russia. So at least there’s that. And Mr. Zelensky gave an impassioned speech, saying something about the sun shining in the south, the east, and Crimea. Let’s hope that actually happens and this whole thing can finally be over.
Serious News: nytimes
