Ukraine: Wagner chief says Russian fighters near central Bakhmut ‘killing zone’; civilians shelled in Kherson, Donetsk
- In a video, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is seen standing on the roof of a high-rise building in what is said to be Bakhmut – ‘this is the centre of the town’, he claims
- Three civilians were killed in Russian shelling of Kherson in southern Ukraine, and one died in the eastern Donetsk region on Saturday, Ukraine officials say
The chief of Russian mercenary group Wagner has said in a clip posted on Saturday that his forces are close to the centre of the frontline hotspot of Bakhmut.
In a video posted on messaging app Telegram, Yevgeny Prigozhin is seen standing on the rooftop of a high-rise building in what is said to be Bakhmut.
“This is the building of the town administration, this is the centre of the town”, Prigozhin said in the video, pointing towards a building in the distance. “It is one and two hundred metres away”, said Prigozhin, who was clad in full military gear.
Speaking as artillery boomed in the background, Prigozhin said that the most important thing now was to receive more ammunition from the army and “move forward”.
Wagner has been spearheading offensives against cities in eastern Ukraine including Bakhmut, in what has become the longest and bloodiest fight of Russia’s year-long assault. Both sides have suffered heavy losses around Bakhmut.
Prigozhin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, has been entangled in a power struggle with the defence ministry. He has several times claimed battlefield victories ahead of Russia’s army, criticised Russia’s top brass and accused the military of not sharing ammunition with his ragtag forces.