Bakhmut, once a thriving city of 84,000 people, was known for its strategic position as a railway hub and its salt industry. It was also a symbol of Ukrainian patriotism, being the site where the first blue-and-yellow flag in Donetsk region was raised in 1990, before Ukraine officially declared independence.
However, russian temporary occupation turned this city into a shadow of its former self. The Battle of Bakhmut, which raged from August 2022 to May 2023, is often compared to the Battle of Verdun, due to its brutal and unrelenting nature. Over the course of nearly 10 months, Bakhmut became the epicenter of one of the longest and most devastating conflicts in modern history.
The defense of Bakhmut, led by Ukrainian forces, not only symbolized fierce resistance but also came at a staggering cost to the russian military. With approximately 100,000 russian soldiers killed and wounded, over 80% of the casualties were from the Wagner Group units. The city that once thrived has now been reduced to ruins, a haunting reminder of the immense human cost of war.