Germany Alarmed By Huge Ukrainian Losses Near Bakhmut - Reports

The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has warned lawmakers the "huge" losses suffered by Ukrainian forces in the battle for Bakhmut, also known as Artyomovsk, can impact the entire line of defense, German weekly Der Spiegel reported on Friday.

The BND has presented a report at a secret meeting with lawmakers this week according to which Ukrainian forces are loosing three-digit death toll every day, in what could be a push to parliament to greenlight the deployment of Leopard tanks to Ukraine, the newspaper said.

The United States and several other NATO countries have been pushing Germany to supply Ukraine with German-made Leopard tanks as Kiev said it anticipated heavier fighting in coming weeks. NATO defense ministers met in Germany for consultations on Friday.

German media speculated that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told US President Joe Biden that Berlin would send Leopard tanks to Ukraine only if Washington sends its own Abrams tanks first. The German government refuted the report but said it was not ready to send Ukraine tanks at this point.

Last week, the Russian army gained control over the strategic city of Soledar, about 6 miles from Bakhmut, gaining the ground for encircling Ukrainian troops stationed nearby. Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that its forces took control of the village of Klishchiivka near Bakhmut with fire support of operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Southern Military District.