Russian mercenary group Wagner says it has conquered Bachmut ‘in a legal sense’, Ukraine contradicts this
The leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin announced on Sunday via Telegram that he had conquered the Ukrainian city of Bachmut in a “legal sense”. That writes news agency Reuters.
The mercenary army is said to have raised the Russian flag over the city’s town hall. “From a legal point of view, Bachmoet is taken,” Prigozhin said in an audio recording. “This is Wagner’s private army, these are the men who took Bachmut. Legally, it’s ours.”
The Ukrainian army is still holding out in Bachmut, according to Kiev. Ukraine has rejected allegations that the Russian mercenary army has taken the city. “The enemy has not ceased its offensive in Bachmut. But Ukrainian forces are heroically defending the city during the numerous attacks,” the Ukrainian army command said.
Earlier in the evening, the Ukrainian thanked President Zelensky all soldiers fighting for Ukraine in Avdiivka, Maryinka and Bachmoet. “Especially in Bachmut.”
In the city, which is located in the east of Ukraine, fierce fighting has been raging for months. The east and southeast of Bachmut are in Russian hands. The battle also resulted in many casualties on the Ukrainian side, leading to discussions within and outside Ukraine about whether it is still wise to continue to defend the city.
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