NATO intelligence estimates that for every Ukrainian soldier killed defending Bakhmut, Russian forces have lost at least five, CNN reported on Monday, citing an official with the Western military alliance.
Despite the favourable ratio, the official said Ukraine was suffering significant losses defending the besieged city, according to CNN.
Ukraine's military has repeatedly claimed it is inflicting heavy losses on Russia as Moscow tries to take Bakhmut, the broadcaster noted.
Meanwhile, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Russian troops had captured 40 percent of Bakhmut after nine months of fighting.
The US think tank also reported that "Russia’s efforts to capture Bakhmut have significantly deteriorated its capacity for additional offensives."
“The Russian military will likely struggle to maintain any subsequent offensive operations for some months, giving Ukraine a chance to seize the initiative,” the ISW said on Monday.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Monday that his country’s forces would continue to defend Bakhmut against Russian assaults.
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