Ukraine's Defiance in Bakhmut Despite Warnings and War Wounds.

US intelligence warned Ukraine in January that the city of Bakhmut was at risk of encirclement by Russian forces and advised the Ukrainian army to fall back. However, Ukraine continued to defend the city, which has become a national symbol of resistance to the Russian invasion. The leaked assessment also states that Russian morale is waning, and efforts to weaken the resolve of the Russian army have been somewhat effective. The situation in Bakhmut is unstable, with supply lines now hundreds of meters from Russian positions.