The city of Bakhmut is a small city located in the eastern region of Ukraine, near the border with Russia. Both countries have long claimed the city as part of their respective territories and have fought for control over the years.
The current conflict between the two countries is rooted in the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, when pro-European protesters took to the streets of Ukraine to demand closer ties with the European Union. This led to the ousting of the pro-Russian government, which had strong ties to Moscow. In response, Russia sought to gain control of Ukrainian territories, including Bakhmut.
Russia has since annexed the Crimean Peninsula and has supported pro-Russian separatists in the country’s east, leading to a full-scale conflict. The city of Bakhmut has been caught in the middle of this conflict, as both sides have sought to gain control of it.
Bakhmut is strategically important to both countries due to its proximity to Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia. It is also home to a large number of ethnic Russians and has an important rail and road connection to the Russian-occupied Donbas region.