The city of Bakhmut, the epicenter of fighting in eastern Ukraine, is “virtually surrounded” by Russian troops, the leader of the Wagner paramilitary group said on Friday.
“Wagner units have practically surrounded Bakhmut, there is only one way left to get out of the city,” Yevgueny Prigozhin declared in a video posted to Telegram.
Prigozhin, whose men are on the front line in this battle, has asked Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky to order Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the largely destroyed city where both sides have suffered heavy casualties.
“If before we faced a professional Ukrainian army, which fought against us, today we see more and more elderly people and children. They fight, but their life in Bakhmut is short, one or two days,” Prigozhin warned.
“Give them a chance to leave the city, it’s practically surrounded,” Gruppenkommandeur Wagner added to Zelensky.
The video then shows how three people, an elderly person and two youths, ask the Ukrainian head of state for permission to leave the region.
Message video from EV Prigozhin to the President of the Ukrainian VA #Zelensky.
Il lui demande the retired son armée de #bakhmut car la ville is closed #Wagner.
“Les pinces se rétrécissent. Si auparavant l”armée professionnelle combattait avec nous, aujourd”hui nous voyons de pic.twitter.com/CSrYweaPGb
– SergeBos Да здравствует Россия (@ginobonza) March 3, 2023
Bakhmut has become a symbol of the struggle for control of the industrial region of Donbass.
When he visited the area in December, the Ukrainian president vowed to defend the city “as long as possible”.
The Ukrainian military command admitted on Tuesday that the situation in Bakhmut is “extremely tense” due to the Russian attacks.
Russian troops have advanced north and south of Bakhmut in recent weeks, cutting off three of the four roads used to supply Ukrainian troops in the city.
The only remaining exit route is the one further west to Chasiv Yar. The Russians are also trying to advance south of this city.
Source: DN
