In detail, the founder of the Wagner forces, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that his forces continued to advance in the city of Artyomovsk (Bakhmut), indicating that less than 2 square kilometers of the city remained under the control of the forces. Ukrainians.
Wagner’s special military forces advanced 400 square meters to Bakhmut from the right flank.
The founder of Wagner said: “The forces of the private military company, Wagner, advanced a distance of 400 meters and the controlled area reached 132,000 square meters.”
“Less than 2 square kilometers of the city remains under the control of Ukrainian forces,” Yevgeny Prigozhin added.
In total, “during the day, the progression of the contact lines reached more than 600 meters, and the area of controlled land reached 172,000 square meters”.
Russian forces retreat
On the other hand, Moscow admitted on Friday that its forces had withdrawn from their positions, which they controlled, north of the city of Bakhmut, after a new Ukrainian attack.
The Russian setback, which followed similar reports of advancing Ukrainian forces south of the city, indicates a concerted campaign by Kiev to surround Russian forces in Bakhmut.
This means both sides are now talking big wins for Ukraine, although Kiev has revealed few details and downplayed reports that a large-scale, long-planned counter-offensive has officially begun.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Ukraine had launched an offensive north of Bakhmut with more than 1,000 troops and up to 40 tanks, a level of equipment that, if it was confirmed would be the largest Ukrainian offensive since November.
Konashenkov added that the Russians repelled 26 attacks, but forces withdrew to an area to regroup in more suitable locations near the Birkhivka Reservoir, northwest of Bakhmut.
Yrigogen: Retreat “a terrible defeat”
However, Prigozhin said in an audio message: “What Konashenkov described, unfortunately, is called a ‘terrible defeat’, not a regrouping.”
In another video message, Prigozhin said the Ukrainians had captured high ground overlooking Bakhmut and opened the main road leading to the city from the west.
“The loss of the Birkhivka reservoir – the loss of those lands from which they withdrew – amounted to 5 square kilometers, and this happened only today,” he added.
And he went on to say: “The enemy has completely liberated the Chasev Yar-Bakhmut road, which we had closed. The enemy is now able to use this road, and secondly, he controlled an elevated area overlooking Bakhmut. ”
Prigozhin has repeatedly criticized the Russian regular army over the past week for failing to supply its fighters in Bakhmut.
Reuters could not independently verify the situation in the region.
Ukraine generally refrains from commenting on its ongoing operations.
The military leadership only mentioned that its forces had advanced about two kilometers near Bakhmut.
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