Russian paramilitary group Wagner affirmed this Monday that his forces plan to withdraw from Bakhmut between May 25 and June 1 to cede their positions to the army, after claiming the capture of this city in eastern Ukraine.
“The Wagner group abandons Artyomvsk [topónimo soviético de la ciudad] between May 25 and June 1,” said the head of the group, Yevgeny Prigozhinin an audio recording released by his press service.
In it, Prigozhin explains that they have established “lines of defense” on the western outskirts of Bakhmut.
On Saturday, Wagner’s boss claimed responsibility for taking the town and indicated that he would hand over control to Russian troops on May 25.
“If there were not enough units of the Ministry of Defence [para encargarse de Bakhmut]there are thousands of generals [para hacerlo]you have to form a regiment of generals, give them all rifles and everything will be fine, ”Prigozhin commented this Monday, in a veiled criticism of the Russian military high command.
“Tactical Encirclement”
Ukraine has not confirmed the loss of Bakhmut.
The commander of the Ukrainian Land Army, General Oleksander Syrskyiadmitted on Sunday that his troops only control an “insignificant” part of the city, but stressed that they continue to advance on his flanks, with the aim of achieving a “tactical encirclement” about the Russian forces present in the town.
“Even though we now control the outskirts of the city, the importance of his defense does not lose meaning. This will give us the opportunity to enter the city in the future, when the operational situation at the front changes,” Syrskyi said in a message posted on Telegram.
Syrskyi stressed that with control of the tallest buildings “we will be able to gradually destroy them.” “With this, the enemy does not control the surroundings of the city and gives us certain tactical advantages.”
Syrskyi himself visited the Ukrainian forces near the front of Bakhmut and stressed that “the Armed Forces continue with offensive actions on the flanks in the vicinity of Bakhmut”. “We have to destroy the enemy. Glory to Ukraine! ”, The general concluded in his message.
A Ukrainian military spokesman, serhi cheravatiacknowledged for his part that the situation is “critical” but the battle continues Bakhmut and that kyiv still controls part of the town.
“Our soldiers have fortifications and several areas in the south-west of the city,” he said in statements to Ukrainian television.
Cheravati stressed that even if the Russian forces seized the city, it would have no military or political use.
“They are acting as if they have taken Dnipro”, a pillar of the Ukrainian military industry, located in the south-east of the country.
The Russian President, Vladimir Putinlast night congratulated Wagner’s mercenaries and the Russian Armed Forces for the capture of Bakhmuta take that advanced Prigozhin.
(With information from AFP, Europa Press)
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Source-www.infobae.com