THE POINT OF MERCENARIES IS THAT THEY ARE EXPENDABLE:

Prigozhin's forces are leading the fight inside Bakhmut and continue to make slow but steady progress. But the Ukrainians have managed to rotate troops fighting in the city and feed in supplies. 

Russian forces, not so much PMC Wagner, have been trying to choke off Ukraine's supply lines to the city, mainly by sealing primary and secondary roadways and by bombing Ukrainian supply resources, particularly in Chasiv Yar, which is the primary feeder point for Ukraine's Bakhmut forces.

Yet the Russian army, which should have positioned strong forces on the flanks protecting the city and the roadways, chose to put largely untrained and poorly equipped regular army forces (and some "volunteers") on the flanks. These were overrun by the Ukrainians in a very strong reconnaissance in force. 

The Ukrainians used crack troops including elements of the Azov brigade, and armor, including tanks. According to what is being reported, the Russian troops were only equipped with small arms, had no armor, and had no anti-tank weapons.  The result was predictable.

This huge blunder sent Prigozhin off into a series of tirades, going so far as to accuse the "grandfather" - namely Putin - of being an a**hole, a statement he tried to walk back after he sent his blast to Russian social media outlets.

The important point is that PMC Wagner and the Russian army are estranged, and it is not so far afoot to suggest that the Russians put the poorest brigade they could find to handle the Bakhmut flanks.

Tweet   @brothersjudd