UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 400 - MARCH 28, 2023

The Wagner Group troops have likely captured the AZOM industrial complex in the north of Bakhmut and continue to make progress within the city.

Russian military bloggers claimed on March 28 that Wagner fighters have taken control of the AZOM complex and are working to clear the area of remaining Ukrainian forces. These claims align relatively well with the available visual evidence of Russian presence in the AZOM complex. Geolocated footage released on March 26 shows a military correspondent from the Russian news agency RIA Novosti moving seemingly effortlessly on the complex grounds, indicating that Wagner likely controls enough of the facility to accommodate media representatives in relative safety. RIA Novosti correspondent Sergei Shilov visited AZOM on March 28 and noted that fighting has now shifted to the industrial area south of AZOM.

Several Russian military bloggers claimed on March 28 that Wagner fighters have moved closer to the city center of Bakhmut, taken control of the city market, and reached the Palace of Culture. These claims are plausible when considering the geolocated visual evidence released on March 28 of Wagner's advance towards the city center, as well as the combat footage of Ukrainian infantry engaging in a shootout with Russian forces near the Palace of Culture and the central market area in Bakhmut's city center. Wagner is likely seeking to consolidate its gains in northern and central Bakhmut to advance towards the city center and expand its control zone to western Bakhmut. According to ISW assessment, Russian forces have advanced into an additional five percent of Bakhmut in the past seven days, currently occupying approximately 65 percent of the city.

The full Russian Offensive Update 400 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR online