Both sides suffered heavy casualties in this eastern city which had some 70,000 inhabitants before the Russian offensive and is now largely devastated by the fighting.
All eyes are on Bakhmout. This city in eastern Ukraine, the epicenter of the fighting between the forces of Kiev and the Russian army, supported by the paramilitary group Wagner, was the subject, Saturday, May 20, of contradictory announcements. After the announcements of the capture of this key city by the leader of the Russian paramilitary group, Evgeny Prigonin, kyiv declared that the Ukrainian army continued to fight.
If confirmed, Wagner’s capture of Bakhmout would allow Moscow to post victory after a series of humiliating reverses. It would also intervene before a major counter-offensive that kyiv says it has been preparing for months.
“There was only Wagner here”
Yevgeny Prigojine claimed on Saturday afternoon, in a video posted on Telegram, the total capture of the city. “The operation to take Bakhmout lasted 224 days (…) There was only Wagner here”he added, again reproaching the Russian general staff for the absence of regular troops on this front. “We did not only fight with the Ukrainian army in Bakhmout, but also with the Russian bureaucracy which hindered us”, he launched.
According to Yevgeny Prigojine, Wagner will withdraw his men from the city from Thursday, May 25, to leave the defense to the regular Russian army. “By May 25, we will completely search the city, create defensive positions and transfer it to the military to take care of it. On our side, we will return to the bases”he added.
The Russian army has controlled Bakhmout over 90% in recent weeks, no longer fighting within the city against a last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the West.
kyiv concedes that the “situation is critical”
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar immediately denied the words of the leader of the Russian paramilitary group. On Telegram, she assured that the Ukrainian defenders were still in control “certain industrial facilities and infrastructure” as well as apartment buildings. She conceded, however, that “the situation is critical”.
Despite the difficulties encountered in Bakhmout, Ukraine this week claimed the capture of more than twenty square kilometers from Russian forces north and south of the city, endangering Wagner’s flanks, which are held by troops Russian army regulars.
Friday, Evguéni Prigojine, had deemed unlikely a quick take of Bakhmout. On Telegram, he explained in particular that a suburb named “Samolet” constituted “an impregnable fortress formed by rows of blocks of buildings”.