Russia has suffered at least 60,000 casualties of personnel trying to capture the town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Sky News reports, citing a Western official.

"We judge that capturing Bakhmut has likely cost Russia at least 60,000 casualties in that Bakhmut-Popasna sector over the course of the year-long battle," the official said quoted by the ezine.

According to the Sky News, this is a "conservative estimate" of the number of Russian losses in this sector of the front.

As for the estimated ratio of killed and wounded, the source of the publication believes that "at least a third killed."

Also, the ezine says, a Western official repeated the words of a number of observers who called Bakhmut "not strategically significant" from the point of view of the broader conflict.

"In Bakhmut, we now assess that Ukrainian elements have withdrawn from the main built-up area of the town. We are seeing Wagner [mercenary] forces in the process of withdrawing, at least for now. Replacing these force elements is a significant commitment of Russia's already overstretched regular forces," the Sky News quoted the official as saying.

The official also notes that the total number of Russian casualties now exceeds 200,000 people, and there are signs that Ukraine may launch a counteroffensive in the coming weeks.