(Dan Tri) – The Ukrainian army announced that it caused heavy damage to Russia in Bakhmut, after Wagner forces announced the withdrawal of 99% of their troops from this area.
Weapons of Ukrainian forces opened fire in Bakhmut (Photo: Getty).
`The enemy continues to suffer heavy losses in the Bakhmut direction. Ukraine’s defense forces continue to fight. We will win,` Commander of the Ukrainian Army Oleksandr Syrskyi said on June 3 after
Mr. Syrskyi’s comments came a day after Mr. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian private military company Wagner, said that 99% of Wagner fighters had left Bakhmut after handing over their positions to Russian soldiers.
In its daily war situation update on June 3, the Ukrainian army confirmed that Russian forces had attempted to attack near Ivanivske, a small town a few kilometers west of Bakhmut, but were unsuccessful.
According to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar, the situation in Bakhmut is `relatively stable` although some fighters of the Wagner group remain in the city.
`The situation in Bakhmut city is relatively stable. We have taken control of the southwestern suburbs of the city. The fighters of Wagner forces have not yet completely withdrawn from the city. Those who remain are training units
Ms. Maliar said that the general situation on the front line is changing, but not significantly.
Over the past few months, Russian forces have attacked on four fronts in Eastern Ukraine including Avdiivka, Marinka, Lyman and Bakhmut.
`During this time, enemy forces were unable to advance to the borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. The enemy has now exhausted its resources and must rotate and regroup its forces,` Ms. Maliar added.
According to Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, Russia’s strike zone has changed a bit in recent months.
`Enemy forces did not carry out any offensive operations on three of the fronts, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk, although they also tried to regain positions they had previously controlled on the
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on May 20 that Russian forces had complete control of the city of Bakhmut.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country’s army have so far denied the news of Bakhmut’s fall.