2023-05-13 06:19:33
The founder of Wagner’s forces, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that only less than two kilometers separate his forces from full control of Bakhmut, while it was reported that its forces retreated in the northern regions of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian attack.
In detail, the founder of Wagner’s forces, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that his forces are continuing to advance in the city of Artyomovsk (Bakhmut), indicating that there is less than 2 square kilometers of the city left under the control of the Ukrainian forces.
Wagner’s special military forces advanced 400 square meters in 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 area that was controlled reached 132,000 square meters.”
“Less than 2 square kilometers of the city remain under the control of the Ukrainian forces,” Yevgeny Prigozhin added.
In total, “during the day, the progress of the contact lines reached more than 600 meters, and the area of land that was controlled reached 172,000 square meters.”
Russian forces are retreating
On the other hand, Moscow admitted, on Friday, that its forces had retreated 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 Ukrainian forces advancing south of the city, points to a concerted campaign by Kiev to encircle Russian forces in Bakhmut.
That means both sides are now talking big gains for Ukraine, though Kiev has revealed few details and played down reports that a large-scale, long-planned counteroffensive 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 confirmed, would be the largest Ukrainian offensive since November.
Konashenkov added that the Russians repulsed 26 attacks, but the forces retreated in one 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 that the Ukrainians had captured high ground overlooking Bakhmut and opened the main highway leading into the city from the west.
“The loss of the Birkhivka reservoir – the loss of these 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 completely liberated the Chasev Yar-Bakhmut road, which we had closed. The enemy is now able to use this road, and secondly, it controlled a high area overlooking Bakhmut.”
Prigozhin has repeatedly criticized the regular Russian army over the past week for failing to provide his fighters with supplies in Bakhmut.
Archyde.com could not independently verify the situation in the area.
Ukraine usually refrains from commenting on its ongoing operations.
The military leadership only mentioned that its forces advanced about two kilometers near Bakhmut.
1683961474
#Bakhmut #Wagner #advancing #Russian #forces #retreating #north