A Kremlin-backed official announced on Monday that he had visited the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on the front lines of the war in Ukraine, after suggesting Russian forces had made significant gains there.
The battle for Bakhmut is the longest and bloodiest of the Russian offensive and the city has taken on immense symbolic importance, although analysts say the location has little strategic value.
Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine, posted a video of himself on Telegram in the heavily devastated city. “Here is our Artemovsk,” said Pushilin, using the name Bakhmut in Soviet times. “It is released by the Wagner group,” he added.
In the video, destroyed buildings and ruins could be seen in the background behind Pushilin, who was wearing a camouflage helmet and appeared to be on Svoboda Square, in the center of the city, with the sound of artillery audible.
Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed last week that the group had captured Bakhmut “in a legal sense” for taking control of the commune.
The Russian military has not reported such gains and Ukraine has said it will continue to defend the city.
As a sign that the Wagner group has made significant gains, several Russian war correspondents have published videos of Bakhmut in recent days.
One of them was Semen Pegov, who published photos of himself riding a motorcycle accompanied by mercenaries from the Wagner group through the ruins of the city.
Source: DN
