Listen to this article Ukrainian Armed Forces Claim Prigozhin Seeks To Escape Bakhmut Due To Wagner Group’s Disruption
Ukrainian Armed Forces Spokesperson Reveals Prigozhin’s Intentions in Bakhmut
In a statement, Serhii Cherevatyi, the spokesperson for the Eastern group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has shed light on Yevgeny Prigozhin’s motives behind claiming the capture of Bakhmut. Cherevatyi suggests that Prigozhin’s assertion serves as a pretext to withdraw Wagner Group mercenaries from the devastated city. The Wagner leader aims to extract his forces from the potentially encircled Bakhmut, handing over the city’s “defense” to soldiers of the Russian Ministry of Defence before departing.
Denial of Bakhmut’s Capture by Ukrainian Ministry of Defence
Contrary to Prigozhin’s claim, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence refutes the notion that Bakhmut has been captured. While acknowledging the critical situation within the city, Ukrainian soldiers maintain control over specific locations. Cherevatyi provides reassurance that Ukrainian defenders still maintain a presence in several buildings in Bakhmut.
Cherevatyi’s Assertion: Wagner Group’s Imminent Defeat
Cherevatyi asserts, “The fighting continues; we are holding a number of buildings in Bakhmut… We’ve effectively neutralized his powerful group [referring to Prigozhin]. It is on the verge of destruction. Prigozhin claims he will withdraw his troops and has taken Bakhmut. That’s all he’s saying. ‘The guy said he would do it, and he did it.’ Now he wants to escape, with his tail between his legs, because he lost his best people. In reality, his Wagner Group is shattered.”
Background: Prigozhin’s Actions and Reversals
Yevgeny Prigozhin had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of ammunition, threatening to withdraw his mercenaries from Bakhmut by May 10 or transfer their positions to Ramzan Kadyrov’s forces. However, he later changed his decision and did not withdraw the Wagnerites from the city. Prigozhin subsequently claimed that the Russian Defence Ministry had assured the Wagnerites that they would receive the necessary ammunition. On May 9, Prigozhin mentioned that the Defence Ministry had threatened to classify their potential departure from Bakhmut as high treason. On May 10, Prigozhin stated that the Wagner Group had been compelled to cede the “flanks” to Russian Ministry of Defence servicemen, expressing disappointment in the “failure of the flanks.”
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