Former General Wesley Clark has recently declared that Russia now has Ukrainian troops in a “meat grinder” in Bakhmut, and that this could force the Ukrainians to surrender and ask for a compromise.

As we read in the Express:

Retired US general Wesley Clark has warned the Ukrainian army to hold onto Bakhmut as the city comes under enormous pressure from Russian troops. Vladimir Putin’s generals look to be launching an attempt to encircle the city which has been fought over continuously since the invasion of Ukraine back in February.

General Clark told CNN: “The way you operate in the military is you do have to focus your combat power. So they are focusing on this point.

“And if they take Bakhmut, it does open the door towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

“But it also serves as a sort of killing ground for grinding up the Ukrainian forces, and this is what they want to do.

“If they can put unbearable pressure on these Ukrainian forces, before they can bring the other forces back from Kherson to bear.

“If they can cause the Ukrainians to blink to request a ceasefire, to ask for a breathing spell Putin wins.

“So he’s got a place where the Ukrainians do have to hold, they are dug in, they are holding, but they’re taking heavy losses.

“So it’s a meat grinder.”