Foreign Affairs

The symbolic battle

Prigozhin claims full control of Bakhmut: "We took it"

The head of the Wagner Brigade announces the conquest of the symbolic city in the Russian-Ukrainian clash of recent weeks. But the Kiev army denies it: "We are fighting." Then Putin's former cook says he will deliver it to Moscow on May 26

20/05/2023

Reuters

Surrounded by some of his men/mercenaries holding Russian flags and the banner of the infamous Wagner Brigade, Putin's former chef Yevgeny Prigozhin announces in this video the total control of the city symbol of the battles of recent weeks: Bakhmut.

But from the Kiev authorities comes the denial: "In Bakhmut we are still fighting". Meanwhile, as if to correct the shot, on his social channels Prigozhin announces later that he will hand over the city to the Russian army on May 26th.