Russian Wagner Group leader says his troops will pull out of Ukraine’s Bakhmut in days

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the mercenary group Wagner Group of Russia, said in a sudden and dramatic announcement that the troops will pull out of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut that they tried in vain to capture since the end of summer.

Prigozhin said he would withdraw on May 10 – ending his involvement in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war – due to heavy losses and inadequate supplies of ammunition. He asked the defense chief to deploy regular army troops in his place.

“I declare on behalf of the Wagner fighters, on behalf of the Wagner command, that on May 10, 2023, we are obliged to transfer the position in the settlement of Bakhmut to the units of the Ministry of Defense and withdraw the remnants of Wagner to the logistics camp. to lick our wounds,” Prigozhin said in statement.

“I pulled Wagner’s unit out of Bakhmut because with no ammo, they would die for nothing.”

Bakhmut, a city of 70,000 before the start of the war, has become symbolically important to both sides because of the intensity and duration of the war there.

Wagner has led the Russian effort to capture it and Prigozhin said three weeks ago that the men were in control of more than 80 percent of the city.

But Ukrainian defenders have held back, and Prigozhin has been furious over what he describes as a lack of support from the Russian defense establishment.

Take aim at the Russian defense minister

It’s unclear whether his latest statement can be taken at face value, as he has often posted impulsive comments in the past. Just last week he retracted one statement he said was a “joke”.

He had also previously complained publicly about the lack of ammunition.

Earlier it was seen in the video surrounded by dozens of bodies said to be Wagner fighters, and shown shouting and swearing at the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

The announcement comes at a crucial point in the war, with Ukraine expected to launch an anticipated counter-attack soon.

It was the second dramatic development in three days, after Moscow accused Ukraine of firing a drone at the Kremlin early on Wednesday in an attempt to kill President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv denied it, and the United States rejected the Kremlin’s claim that the incident was a “lie.”

Asking for Russian troops as a substitute

The Kremlin refused to comment on Prigozhin’s statement, citing the fact that it was related to “special military operations” in Ukraine.

“Due to the lack of ammunition, our losses are increasing every day,” the statement addressed the chief of the general staff, the defense ministry, and Putin as supreme commander.

“If, out of petty jealousy, you don’t want to give the Russians the victory of taking Bakhmut, that’s your problem,” Prigozhin added in the video.

WATCH | CBC News near the Bakhmut frontline (since February):

Prigozhin said he asked Gerasimov to replace Wagner’s unit in Bakhmut with regular troops, and specified when this would happen.

The May 10 back date gives the defense chief just five days to fill the gap Wagner will fill. It also threatens to overshadow national celebrations on May 9, when Russia commemorates its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and Putin because of his state of the nation address from Red Square.

Prigozhin – who is wanted in the US in connection with 2016 election meddling offenses – said he expected criticism.

“Whoever has a critical comment – come to Bakhmut, you are welcome, stand with a gun in your hand where our comrades died.”

He also promised that Wagner would return: “We will lick our wounds, and when the Motherland is in danger, we will rise again to defend it. The Russians can count on us.”