Changes

The ''[[Wunderwaffe]]'' provided by the United States and NATO take months to learn how to operate properly. The Zelensky regime didn't have months to train [[AFU]] forces to use these weapons.  NATO casualties in Bakhmut began to stack up, and NATO could no longer hide it.  Poland was the first to reveal how many troops were lost,<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-war-a-contentious-graveyard-in-poland.html#more</ref> and the number of NATO deaths and casualties grew throughout the winter campaign.  NATO played into Russian hands, helping Russia with it overall stated aims from the beginning - to demilitarize Ukraine, which was becoming expanded to the de-NATOization of [[Europe]].

The ''[[Wunderwaffe]]'' provided by the United States and NATO take months to learn how to operate properly. The Zelensky regime didn't have months to train [[AFU]] forces to use these weapons.  NATO casualties in Bakhmut began to stack up, and NATO could no longer hide it.  Poland was the first to reveal how many troops were lost,<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-war-a-contentious-graveyard-in-poland.html#more</ref> and the number of NATO deaths and casualties grew throughout the winter campaign.  NATO played into Russian hands, helping Russia with it overall stated aims from the beginning - to demilitarize Ukraine, which was becoming expanded to the de-NATOization of [[Europe]].

==Bakhmut-Soledar front==

==Summer campaign - the Bakhmut-Soledar front==

{{See also|2022 Special Military Operation in Ukraine - Donbas cauldron#Bakhmut-Soledar front}}

{{See also|2022 Special Military Operation in Ukraine - Donbas cauldron#Bakhmut-Soledar front}}

The [[Battle of Severodonetsk-Lysychansk|battle for Severodonetsk-Lysychansk]] metropolitan area ended with the victory of Russian-led forces. [[AFU]] forces suffered about 7,000 casualties in the Battle of Severodonetsk-Lysychansk.  The front line of Bakhmut/Artemovsk – Soledar-Seversk, also known as the Zelensky Line, became the new hotspot.  On June 28, 2022 it was reported that the Ukrainians had amassed about 20,000 troops which had been withdrawn from several surrounding fronts around the town of Siversk (pop. 10,000) in the Northern [[Donetsk Republic]], between Izium and Lysychansk.  Another 20,000 were reported around the Bakhmut fortress.  Bakhmut is a crossroads of multiple roads and rail lines and sits on high ground.

The [[Battle of Severodonetsk-Lysychansk|battle for Severodonetsk-Lysychansk]] metropolitan area ended with the victory of Russian-led forces. [[AFU]] forces suffered about 7,000 casualties in the Battle of Severodonetsk-Lysychansk.  The front line of Bakhmut/Artemovsk – Soledar-Seversk, also known as the Zelensky Line, became the new hotspot.  On June 28, 2022 it was reported that the Ukrainians had amassed about 20,000 troops which had been withdrawn from several surrounding fronts around the town of Siversk (pop. 10,000) in the Northern [[Donetsk Republic]], between Izium and Lysychansk.  Another 20,000 were reported around the Bakhmut fortress.  Bakhmut is a crossroads of multiple roads and rail lines and sits on high ground.