Aerial view of heavily damaged buildings of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine on Wednesday.

Source: https://www.centralmaine.com/2023/11/23/ukraine-says-3-civilians-were-killed-in-a-daylight-russian-cluster-bomb-attack/

Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from Moscow, said: “Soledar, according to the Russians, has fallen to their hands, and this is going to be a big push for them to try to take Bakhmut.”

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/13/russia-says-its-forces-have-taken-control-of-ukraines-soledar

Amid the fighting in Bakhmut, Prigozhin has continued to demand that the Kremlin supply him with ammunition.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11898015/Wagner-mercenaries-refocus-Africa-huge-losses-Ukraine-amid-fall-Putin.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

Analysts say that Kreminna may be more strategically important than Bakhmut because it serves as the gateway to three larger cities to the west and southeast.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/world/europe/zelensky-eu-parliament.html

And a Russian failure to take Bakhmut altogether would be an astonishing defeat.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/30/briefing/bakhmut-ukraine.html

And by the way, there are nowhere near 20,000 soldiers in Bakhmut.

Source: https://japantoday.com/category/world/ukraine-hits-russian-held-city-deep-behind-front-as-talk-of-counteroffensive-grows2

And it’s entirely possible that Mr. Prigozhin sees some economic benefit to him and his company to take Bakhmut and to take and hold Soledar.”

Source: https://www.mycentraloregon.com/2023/02/14/russia-ukraine-live-updates-bakhmut-falling-wont-have-strategic-impact-us-says/

Arby: "In Bakhmut, there is no possibility of taking captives."

Source: https://worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/veteran-chechen-warsfighting

A spokesman said that the victory would allow Russian troops to push on to the nearby city of Bakhmut, and cut off the Ukrainian forces there.

Source: https://www.onenewspage.com/video/20230114/15329558/Russia-Ukraine-war-Moscow-claims-victory-in-battle.htm

A torch is also a necessary toy for Kolya, amid frequent blackouts as Bakhmut faces a barrage of bombs.

Source: https://metro.co.uk/2023/01/07/the-underground-life-of-ukraines-war-torn-bakhmut-18031446/

At Ukraine front, embattled Bakhmut residents.

Source: https://thefrontierpost.com/2-israelis-hurt-in-jerusalem-shooting/

A Ukrainian APC drives toward front-line positions Saturday near Bakhmut, Ukraine.

Source: https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20230304/civilians-flee-embattled-town-as-ukrainian-pullout-looms

A Ukrainian police van drives on the highway for evacuation civilians in Khromove near Bakhmut, Ukraine, Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Source: https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-41085952.html

A Ukrainian serviceman in a tank prepares to shoot Wednesday, while his comrade passes by in an armored vehicle near Bakhmut, Ukraine.

Source: https://triblive.com/news/world/report-ukraine-worlds-3rd-biggest-arms-importer-in-2022/

A Ukrainian service member sits inside an armoured vehicle stuck near the frontline town of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Monday.

Source: https://japantoday.com/category/world/russia-tries-to-close-ring-around-bakhmut-as-thawing-ground-turns-to-mud

A Ukrainian soldier sits in a trench at the frontline near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, May 22, 2023.

Source: https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/05/23/russia-claims-it-repelled-one-of-wars-most-serious-cross-border-attacks/

Avdiivka, a smaller town 55 miles south of Bakhmut, is being described as ‘post-apocalyptic’

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-counteroffensive-nato-nuclear-b2308738.html

Bakhmut, a town that was once home to around 70,000 people, was captured by Russian forces in May following one of the longest and bloodiest battles of Russia's invasion.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/ukraine-backtracks-retaking-village-near-bakhmut-3771491?cid=cna_flip_070214

Bakhmut has been the focus of the longest and bloodiest battle of Russia’s war in Ukraine, which is nearly at the end of its 15th month.

Source: https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/europe-news/2023/05/21/wagner-claim-bakhmut-capture/

Bakhmut has little strategic value, but Ukraine has seen it as an important drain on Russia's military equipment and manpower.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65155072?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA