The Boss Of The Russian Wagner Mercenary Admits The Battle In Bakhmut Loses His Troops

Ukrainian military in Bakhmut. (Wikimedia Commons/30th Prince Constanty Ostragski Mechanized Brigade)

JAKARTA - The head of the Wagner Group's Russian mercenaries group, acknowledged on Wednesday that fighting for the city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, had caused severe damage to its troops, as well as on the Ukrainian side.

Bakhmut, a small town in eastern Ukraine that has been targeted for months by Russian attacks, has seen fierce fighting and destruction that has been the longest and bloodiest fighting of the war.

"Today's battle in Bakhmut has practically destroyed the Ukrainian army, and unfortunately, this battle has also damaged Wagner's Private Military Company," Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message.

Russian officials say their troops are still seizing territory in a street battle within Bakhmut, but have so far failed to surround and forced Ukraine to withdraw, as seen a few weeks ago.

Yesterday, the Ukrainian military said Russian forces were not making any significant progress in Bakhmut and Avdivka, with Ukrainian fighters continuing to block the attack, causing Russia to lose many troops due to fighting.

"They are just trying to drain our troops with attacks after attacks," said Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesman for Ukraine's eastern military group.

Separately, British military intelligence said on Wednesday that Ukraine had succeeded in pushing Russia back from one of the city's main supply routes.

Meanwhile, in an interview with The Associated Press, President Volodymyr Zelensky said victory in Bakhmut would give Russia the opportunity to build international support for a deal that could see Ukraine make unacceptable compromises.

"If Bakhmut falls to Russian troops, their president, Vladimir Putin, it will "sell this victory to the West, to its people, to China, to Iran," President Zelensky said.