Pretty City Reduced to Ashes in One Year... Ukrainian Battleground Captured by Satellite

The devastation of the battle surrounding Bakhmut, a fierce battleground in eastern Ukraine, is revealed even in satellite images.

On the 17th (local time), according to US CNN and AP News, satellite images showing the damage Bakhmut has suffered over the past year were released.

The images depict Bakhmut before and after the battle, from May 8 last year to the 15th of this month.

Over the course of a year, most social infrastructure, apartment buildings, and iconic city structures have been destroyed, clearly showing a transformation into ashes and wasteland.

The before and after scenes of Bakhmut on May 8 and the past 15th

Bakhmut, located in Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine, is considered the largest battleground in the Ukraine war.

It is a key strategic point necessary for Russia to fully control Donetsk Oblast, which it declared annexed as its own territory, and was one of the main targets of Russia’s major offensive last winter.

In Bakhmut, Russian Wagner Group mercenaries employed human wave tactics, while Ukraine’s resistance led to a war of attrition, resulting in a large number of casualties in a short period comparable to World War II.

Some argue that Bakhmut does not have significant strategic value, but as Russia and Ukraine have engaged in a prolonged war of attrition, Bakhmut has come to hold symbolic meaning that cannot be abandoned in terms of military morale.

Satellite images before and after the Battle of Bakhmut on May 8, 2022 (above) and May 15, 2023 (below)

Meanwhile, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military company Wagner Group, claimed on the 16th (local time) that one American died in Bakhmut.

According to US CNN, Prigozhin showed a video on the Wagner Group’s Telegram account that day, displaying the deceased American and his identification card, stating that the American died during combat.

The appearance of Bakhmut on May 15, 2023

Prigozhin said the deceased American would be transferred in a coffin draped with the US flag and handed over to the United States, explaining that since he was shot and killed during battle, his body and belongings would be returned.

Regarding this, the US State Department said it is aware of the matter but has not yet verified the authenticity of Prigozhin’s claim.

A State Department spokesperson said that their ability to confirm reports of American deaths in Ukraine is very limited and once again urged US citizens not to enter Ukraine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.