Bakhmut battle lays bare high stakes for both sides in Ukraine war

Whether Russia or Ukraine wins the battle for Bakhmut, heavy casualties mean it will be a Pyrrhic victory. Russians are fighting for a symbol; Ukrainians are fighting for their home.

Leaning against a low wall in the shadow of a building large enough to provide cover from Russian shellfire, Mykhailo sips his tea with calm determination as he and fellow members of his unit await evacuation. For weeks, they have been defending Bakhmut against an intense Russian onslaught in a battle that has come to symbolize the savagery of the...