Ukrainian military and third party analysts have been very clear on this for a long time. Bakhmut had little strategic value. But Russia was hellbent on taking it. So Ukraine was using it as a way to pin down Russian forces and kill them en masse as they used their stupid human wave tactics. It’s worked well.

Russia spent 9 months on this offensive. They got Bakhmut and lost immense combat power. Now Ukraine is readying a counter offensive.