Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner group mercenary force, said in a sudden and dramatic announcement on Friday that his forces would leave the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut that they have been trying to capture since last summer.
Reuters reports Prigozhin said they would pull back on 10 May – ending their involvement in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war – because of heavy losses and inadequate ammunition supplies. He asked defence chiefs to insert regular army troops in their place.
“I declare on behalf of the Wagner fighters, on behalf of the Wagner command, that on 10 May 2023, we are obliged to transfer positions in the settlement of Bakhmut to units of the defence ministry and withdraw the remains of Wagner to logistics camps to lick our wounds,” Prigozhin said in a statement.
“I’m pulling Wagner units out of Bakhmut because in the absence of ammunition they’re doomed to perish senselessly.”
Wagner has been spearheading Russia’s long and costly attempt to capture Bakhmut and Prigozhin said three weeks ago that his men controlled more than 80% of the city.
But Ukrainian defenders have held out, and Prigozhin has vented increasing anger at what he describes as lack of support from the Russian defence establishment.
Earlier today he issued a video in which he accused the leaders of Russia’s official forces of getting fat in their offices while Wagner troops lacked equipment.
Source: The Guardian
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