Over the last four days, Russia has likely redeployed up to several battalions to reinforce the Bakhmut sector, according to a defense intelligence report in Twitter on Saturday morning by the British and Northern Ireland Ministry of Defense.

As noted, this followed the tactical successes of Ukraine on the flanks of Bakhmut in the middle of May and the publicly aired doubts about the commitment of Wagner Group forces to continue fighting in this sector.

"With Russia likely maintaining relatively few uncommitted combat units in Ukraine, the redeployment represents a notable commitment by the Russian command," military experts say.

"Russia's leadership likely continue to see capturing Bakhmut as the key immediate war aim which would allow them to claim some degree of success in the conflict," the intelligence analysts said.