Monitoring Desk
MOSCOW: Russia’s Wagner mercenary group claimed on Wednesday that they had captured the eastern part of Bakhmut, the industrial city in east Ukraine where fighting between
Ukraine and Russian forces have intensified for months.
While taking to his social media account, Wagner chief and Kremlin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin said that his forces had taken all of the eastern parts of Bakhmut town, a town with a pre-war population of 80,000 people.
Claims about eastern Bakhmut
Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned about what could happen if Bakhmut fell to Moscow. However, he said that his armed forces were resolved to stay in Bakhmut.
“We have to think about the lives and safety of our military. But we have to do whatever we can as we’re getting supplies and weapons, and our army is getting ready for the counter-response,” he said.
Ukrainian President was set to meet UN chief Antonio Guterres in Kyiv as he makes his third visit to Ukraine since Russia’s attack.
During a televised meeting on Tuesday, Defence Minister Russia Sergei Shoigu told military officials that taking control of the Bakhmut would allow them for more offensive operations in eastern Ukraine.
Both sides have said the fight in Bakhmut has cost a significant number of troops, though neither has given figures.
Ukrainian officials say around 4,000 civilians remain in the town, which has been virtually flattened, including dozens of children.
