General Stanisław Koziej, former Head of the National Security Bureau of Poland, believes that if Ukraine loses Bakhmut, nothing will happen, while the defeat of the Russians in Bakhmut would be a disaster for the Russian Federation.

Stanisław Koziej said on the air of Polsat that he trusts the decisions of the Ukrainian command.

"The battle for Bakhmut is interpreted differently by the Russian side and differently by the Ukrainian side. The Ukrainians treat Bakhmut as a place where they can cause huge losses to the Russians. And as long as they can inflict these losses, as long as the Russians are attacking Bakhmut in waves and the Ukrainians are defending themselves and can shoot these advancing Russian waves, then, from a military point of view, it makes sense to defend this Bakhmut," the general said.

"Ukraine does not look at Bakhmut so politically, propagandistically or even strategically, because this place does not have any huge strategic significance, in the sense that (if) they lose Bakhmut, Ukraine will be open to further Russian invasion," he said.

But, according to him, the Russians look at Bakhmut more from a political and propaganda point of view.

"For Russia, this is a certain symbol that has been promoted for a long time. If the Russians fail to capture it, it will be a disaster and a defeat for them. On the other hand, if they capture it, they will be able to boast that we have won an important place; we are winning," Koziej said.

He added that the recent decision of the Ukrainian command and the president to defend themselves further is understandable.

According to Koziej, the Russians are suffering heavy losses in Bakhmut.

"These are battles in the city, in an urbanised area, which is always more favourable for the defender. Those who defend themselves can always take shelter in these buildings and use the infrastructure, having, so to speak, such "natural armour" in this city. The attacker must come out, get himself out of these trenches if he has them, move forward and expose himself," Koziej said.

British intelligence claims that the Ukrainian defence of Bakhmut continues to degrade the forces of the Ukrainian defenders and the Russian invaders.