Zelensky holds meeting of commander-in-chief's staff, discusses Bakhmut

President Volodymyr Zelensky held another meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff on March 14, discussing the battlefield situation on the Bakhmut front line.

"After considering the defense operation's progress in the Bakhmut area, all staff members expressed a common position regarding the further holding and defense of the city of Bakhmut," President's Office wrote.

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff gathered amid fierce fighting raging over Donetsk Oblast's Bakhmut in Ukraine's east as Russia's Wagner mercenaries try to break through Ukrainian defense and advance to the central areas of the city.

In his evening address on March 13, Zelensky said it was "very tough in the east, very painful," adding that the country's future "is being decided" on Ukraine's eastern front line. Earlier, he told CNN that Russian forces would have an "open road" to seize other critical settlements in eastern Ukraine if they capture Bakhmut, defending Kyiv's decision to continue the city's defense despite Ukrainian troops suffering heavy losses.

The embattled city of Bakhmut has been Russia's main target for over seven months. Despite being surrounded on three sides by Russian troops, Ukraine's military has committed to its defense of Bakhmut, ostensibly to inflict large-scale attrition on the forces of the Wagner paramilitary group.

The March 14 meeting's participants also reportedly analyzed the provision of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine's Armed Forces on the front lines.

The meeting was attended by Zelensky's chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, Oleksii Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council; Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhny; Defense Intelligence Сhief Kyrylo Budanov and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

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The Kyiv Independent