The leader of the Russian Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced today, Saturday, that his forces have taken complete control of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which has been the focal point of the longest and bloodiest battle in the war. Prigozhin released a video declaring the full capture of Bakhmut, appearing in combat gear in front of a row of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner signs.
Prigozhin stated, "Today, at 12 PM, we completely took control of Bakhmut, and our forces will withdraw from Bakhmut starting May 25 to take a rest and retrain." He added, "We have entirely taken over the entire city, from house to house."
In response, the Ukrainian army denied that the Wagner private military group had secured full control over Bakhmut, emphasizing that "our forces continue to fight there." In a statement to Reuters, army spokesperson Serhiy Cherevaty said, "This is not true; our units are fighting in Bakhmut."
Additionally, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar pointed out that "the situation in Bakhmut is critical," with Ukrainian forces holding the defense in the southwestern part of the city. Maliar wrote via the Telegram app, "Heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical; our defenders currently control some industrial facilities, infrastructure in the area, and private sector facilities."
