Russia’s defense ministry said on Saturday that Wagner’s private army, backed by Russian troops, has taken full control of the eastern Ukraine town of Bakhmut.
The ministry’s statement on Telegram came eight hours after a similar claim made by the head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigojin. At the time, Ukrainian authorities said fighting for Bakhmut continued.
“The situation is critical. At the same time […] our defenders control some industrial facilities and infrastructure in the area, as well as in the private sectorUkrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar also said on Telegram.
Wagner Group mercenaries have been involved in the battle for Bakhmut, the longest and bloodiest since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
“The operation to take Bakhmut took 224 days […]. There was only Wagner here,” said Prigojin, who is in open conflict with the Russian military hierarchy.
Prigojin also announced that his men will hand over control of Bakhmut to the Russian army next Thursday.
“On May 25, we will thoroughly search the city, create defensive positions and hand it over to the army. For our part, we will return to the bases,” added the businessman close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Both sides suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Bakhmut, the strategic importance of which is disputed.
Ukraine said this week it had recaptured more than 20 square kilometers from Russian forces north and south of the city.
At the same time, he recognized an advance of fighters from the Wagner Group into the city itself, where only a small part of the Ukrainian resistance remained in the west.
The flanks where the Ukrainians are said to have advanced at Bakhmut are occupied by regular Russian army troops.
Prigojin has accused Russian troops of fleeing positions in the Battle of Bakhmut and the General Staff in Moscow of not supplying enough ammunition to the Wagner Group mercenaries.
If confirmed, Bakhmut’s capture would bring Moscow victory after several humiliating setbacks.
Information about the course of the war released by the two sides cannot immediately be independently verified.
Russia’s war against Ukraine plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
The number of civilian and military casualties in the conflict is unknown, but several sources, including the United Nations, have admitted it will be very high.
Source: DN
