MOSCOW: Russia’s army has not reported any progress in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut after the Wagner mercenary group claimed to capture the city’s administration building.
The fight for Bakhmut, an industrial city, is the longest battle of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, said on his Telegram channel that “in a legal sense, Bakhmut has been captured,” and that his forces would plant a Russian flag on the city hall.
However, the Russian defence ministry did not report any advances by its forces in a daily briefing on the offensive.
Ukraine’s army still holding Bakhmut
On the other hand, Ukraine’s army said its troops repelled Russian attacks and were still holding Bakhmut.
Prigozhin has been involved in a power struggle with the defence ministry for months, claiming battlefield victories ahead of Russia’s army and accusing the military of not sharing ammunition with his forces.
The situation in Ukraine remains tense, with Russia denying any involvement in the conflict despite evidence to the contrary.
The international community has denounced Russia’s actions and called for an end to the fighting, but a peaceful resolution to the conflict remains elusive.
The ongoing conflict has led to the deaths of thousands of people and displaced millions from their homes.
