Title: Wagner Chief Denies Cessation of Artillery Strikes on Bakhmut as a Joke

The head of the Russian private military group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, indicated today, Thursday, that he was joking when he said his men would halt artillery strikes in Bakhmut to allow Ukrainian forces on the other side of the front line to escort visiting American journalists to see the city. Prigozhin stated in a voice message, "A decision was made to suspend artillery fire to ensure American journalists can film safely in Bakhmut and return home." However, he added in a later voice message, "Guys, this is a military joke. Just a joke, nothing more... it was a joke."