[1/2] Wagner mercenary group fighters wave flags of Russia and Wagner group on high of a constructing in an unidentified location, within the course of the Russia-Ukraine battle, on this nonetheless picture obtained…
HIROSHIMA, Japan, May 21 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appeared to confirm the loss of the town of Bakhmut to Russia on Sunday, when requested if it remained in Kyiv’s management.
“I think no,” he mentioned forward of a gathering with U.S. President Joe Biden in Japan. “For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts.”
Russia claimed on Saturday to have totally captured the smashed japanese Ukrainian metropolis, which if true would mark an finish to the longest and bloodiest battle of the 15-month conflict.
“It is tragedy,” Zelenskiy mentioned. “There is nothing on this place.”
The assault on the largely levelled metropolis was led by troops from the Wagner Group of mercenaries, whose chief Yevgeny Prigozhin mentioned earlier within the day that his troops had lastly pushed the Ukrainians out of the final built-up space inside the town.
Kyiv had beforehand denied Prigozhin’s declare.
Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Editing by William Maclean
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