Private army: Wagner chief: 99 percent of troops withdrawn from Bachmut

The Russian private army Wagner has almost completed its announced withdrawal from the captured eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, according to its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin announced this evening that 99 percent of the units had left the city.

“All positions have been handed over to the (Russian) Ministry of Defense in the appropriate order.” Everything has been clarified, said Prigozhin, who had announced the withdrawal for early June.

According to earlier information, only two Wagner men are to remain to support the regular Russian army in its control of the city in the Donetsk region. Prigozhin said there were no more “provocations” by the Ukrainian armed forces.

The day before, the Wagner boss had declared that his troops would be withdrawn from the battle line, but would remain stationed in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. It was initially not possible to independently check how far the change of position had actually progressed.

Battle for Bachmut

Ukrainian army commander Olexander Syrskyi announced on Thursday that his army had stopped fighting on the flanks of Bakhmut to take on other tasks. Ukraine has not officially given up Bakhmut. The country wants to liberate its territories from Russian occupation as part of a major counter-offensive.

For months, Bachmut had been fought bitterly and with great losses. In the fight for the completely destroyed city, which once had 70,000 inhabitants, fierce power struggles within the Russian military leadership have also come to light in recent weeks. Prigozhin repeatedly accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of not providing his fighters with sufficient ammunition.