US Suggested Kyiv Abandon Bakhmut, According to Classified Documents

The United States has warned Ukraine about the potential encirclement of its troops in Artyomovsk and suggested abandoning the area. This information was reported by the Washington Post, citing classified documents from American intelligence that surfaced online.

The newspaper confirmed that the United States had been informing Kyiv authorities since January that Ukrainian Armed Forces were likely to be surrounded by Russian troops soon. The report noted that the Russian army's 'unrelenting' advance since November 2022 had posed a threat to the ability of Ukrainian forces to hold the city.

According to the publication, the U.S. believed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would face encirclement if troops were not withdrawn during February. The Washington Post mentioned that Ukrainian authorities had ignored these warnings.

Additionally, the reports indicated that the United States had advised Ukraine to send 'dual-use advanced conventional munitions' against the Russian Armed Forces.