Prigozhin reveals new details of Bakhmut battles setting a date of taking control

The commander of the Russian Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said in a message on the Telegram on Friday that taking control of Bakhmut where the battles have been concentrated in eastern Ukraine for months is unlikely in the coming days.

“It’s unlikely that Bakhmut will be completely taken tomorrow or the day after tomorrow,” Prigozhin said, referring to heavy fighting on Bakhmut southwestern outskirts.

He added, “We haven’t taken Bakhmut yet,” explaining that “there is a suburb called Samolit, and it looks like an impregnable fortress consisting of rows of buildings that form a barrier… and the most difficult battles are taking place there now”.

“Therefore, there is an important request: Happiness loves silence… Let’s finish our work,” Prigozhin continued.

On Tuesday, Ukraine announced that it had taken control of more than 20 square kilometers on the outskirts of Bakhmut, but admitted at the same time that Russian forces were continuing to advance in the same city that had been destroyed by months of fighting.

The battle for Bakhmut is the fiercest and longest since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Observers question the strategic importance of Bakhmut for Russia, but this will allow Moscow to achieve victory after several setbacks.