The commander of the Russian “Wagner” indicated that the remaining area is only 2.5 km, to fully control Bakhmut.
Prigozhin said, according to what was reported by the Russian agency RIA Novosti : “It remains to completely liberate the city, by storming only 2.5 kilometers of territory”.
Prigozhin also said that Ukrainian forces are losing between 400 and 600 soldiers daily in the city of Bakhmut.
The leader of the “Wagner” group pointed out that the Ukrainian forces “bring 400 to 600 people daily to the region, which is approximately the same number of deaths as the Ukrainian forces lose there daily”.
The Battle of Bakhmut, which Russia sees as a stepping stone to other towns still beyond its control in the industrial Donbass region, was the fiercest battle of the conflict, in which both sides lost thousands lives in a bitter war for months.
A senior Ukrainian official said Friday that Russia was moving Wagner fighters from the frontline to Bakhmut to capture the city by “Victory Day” on May 9.
“We now see them withdrawing (the fighters) from the entire offensive line in which Wagner’s forces are, and withdrawing (the fighters) towards Bakhmut,” Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hana Malyar said. on Ukrainian television.
Wagner’s withdrawal
On Friday, forces from the Russian ‘Wagner’ military group announced their intention to withdraw from the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, but Kiev said the group’s fighters were reinforcing their positions in an attempt to seize of the city before Russia celebrates Victory Day this week. .
Prigozhin said his men were low on ammunition and he expected the army to replace his forces in Bakhmut next Wednesday, undermining the goal Russia has long held dear in trying to divide its neighbor.
“My men will not suffer unnecessary and unjustified losses without ammunition,” Prigozhin said in a video accompanied by a written statement of withdrawal, addressing the Russian Chief of Staff, the Defense Ministry and the President Vladimir Putin as Supreme Commander.
The statement said “bureaucrats” had hampered supplies despite knowing Wagner’s target time to capture the city was May 9, when Moscow celebrates Victory Day in World War II.
And Prigozhin added in the clip: “If you, because of your petty jealousy, don’t want to give the Russian people the victory to seize Bakhmut, then that’s your problem.”
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