KYIV: Ukraine reaffirmed on Monday that it was still fighting for Bakhmut and maintained control over a portion of the eastern city, while Russia’s Wagner group announced plans to transfer control of the war-torn hotspot to the Russian army by June 1.
Despite claims by Wagner and the regular Russian army that Bakhmut had fallen to them, Ukraine denied the city’s capture, stating that it still held one area and that active battles were ongoing. Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Malyar emphasized that the fighting continued, contradicting President Volodymyr Zelensky’s previous statement that Bakhmut was “not occupied” by Russia.
Ukraine retains control of places in Bakhmut
According to Malyar, Kyiv’s forces retained control of the “Airplane” district in Bakhmut, while the battle for strategic positions on the outskirts of the city, both north and south of the suburbs, remained ongoing.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s mercenary group Wagner, whose fighters played a leading role in capturing Bakhmut, announced on Saturday that the city was under their complete control. However, on Monday, Prigozhin stated that the Wagner mercenaries would withdraw from Bakhmut between May 25 and June 1, handing over control to regular Russian troops.
Prigozhin mentioned that his group had established “defense lines” on the western outskirts of the city ahead of the planned transfer to the Russian army. He also suggested that if the Russian Ministry of Defense lacked personnel, Wagner could provide support with its experienced fighters.
The influential role of Prigozhin has grown significantly during Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. He has been publicly critical of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and army chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, accusing them of incompetence and attributing large-scale losses to their leadership in the conflict.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Wagner and the Russian army on the alleged conquest of Bakhmut, President Zelensky, attending the G7 summit on Sunday, reiterated that the city was “not occupied” by Russia.
The battle for Bakhmut is believed to have resulted in significant casualties for both sides, marking the longest and bloodiest engagement in Moscow’s offensive. Bakhmut, formerly known as Artemovsk, is a salt-mining city located in the Donetsk region, with a pre-war population of approximately 70,000 people.
