Wagner withdraws troops from Bakhmut, says Ukrainian Defense Ministry

Clashes with Wagner in Bakhmut subside after it begins Withdrawal

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin announced that his fighters They would begin withdrawing from the city on Thursday and would be replaced by Russian soldiers. Cherevatyi said the transfer had been made. slowly over the last few weeks.

"For several weeks, Russian army units reinforced the group. criminal Wagner, who suffered huge losses," he said. "They were reinforced by Airborne troops, infantry and some special units of the Russian Army."

⚡️ "Wagner" withdraws units from Bakhmut - Prigogine

According to the leader of the mercenaries, the city will be abandoned before June 1. https://t.co/Twf4SSBpxN pic.twitter.com/HHNVhb2OMl

— Lew Anno Suport #Ukraine 24/2-22 (@anno1540) May 25, 2023

Cherevatyi acknowledged that Wagner's fighters were more difficult to try to make ordinary Russian soldiers because of the brutality of the organization.

"Compared to other units of the Russian army, they fought better and They carried out more offensive actions," he said. "But this was not due to the training or the achievements of their commanders, but to discipline literally bloody and threats of execution. So they forced these small shock units to fight one after another."

Cherevatyi concluded by stating that the final outcome of the battle for Bakhmut it would be the total destruction of Wagner's paramilitary company.

"I think we're going to completely destroy Wagner's criminal groups. The The task of our troops was to exhaust and maximize the loss of blood from the enemy, hit him as hard as possible," he said.

Wagner Group Leader Says He Initiated Bakhmut
Retreat
In a video released Thursday, Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that his mercenaries have begun to leave the Ukrainian city to cede their positions to the Russian army - lis pic.twitter.com/oSgfMl3Dmu

— DW English (@dw_espanol) May 25, 2023

Mailar added that Russian forces have been trying to stop the advance. of the flanks of Ukrainian troops during the last week with Artillery bombardment, and the Russians are strengthening in these areas.

He argued that Ukrainian forces continue to "control the outskirts of the city, in the southwestern part of the Airplane area."

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin earlier said that the withdrawal of his Bakhmut fighters had begun and would last until June 1.