Who is gaining the upper hand in Bakhmut, the epicenter of the fighting in eastern Ukraine? The situation was confused on Friday, with contradictory statements between Kiev, the boss of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner and Moscow.
In the afternoon, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner's leader, accused Russian regular troops of "fleeing" their positions near Bakhmut, saying the defenses were "collapsing." "There was simply a flight of Defense Ministry units on the flanks" of the area, which have recently been held by regular units of the Russian army, he said in a video released by his press service on Telegram.
According to him, Ukrainian forces have regained control of a reservoir north of this city at the epicenter of fighting in eastern Ukraine and taken position on tactical heights overlooking it. He also claimed that Kiev's soldiers had recovered the road to Chasiv Iar, further west, which had been blocked by the Russian military for several weeks. These statements could not be independently verified.
Kiev speaks of a progression of 2 km
Earlier in the day, Ukraine claimed to have recaptured up to two kilometers from the Russians around Bakhmut. "The enemy suffered significant casualties. Our defense forces have advanced two kilometers near Bakhmut," Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Malyar said in a statement posted on social media. "We have not lost any position in Bakhmut this week," she added.
The statements come after another senior Ukrainian military official said on Wednesday that Russian forces had retreated from areas near Bakhmut following counterattacks by Kiev forces.
Russia denies any breakthrough
But Russia on Thursday night denied any breakthrough in its defenses by Ukrainian forces. "Statements broadcast by individual Telegram channels about breakthroughs in defenses that allegedly took place in various parts of the contact line do not correspond to reality," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The latter even claimed to have repelled 26 Ukrainian attacks on a 95 km long front in the Soledar sector, north of Bakhmut. "No breakthrough in the defense of Russian forces has been allowed," he insisted.
The Russian ministry nevertheless reported on Friday a redeployment of units north of Bakhmut, in the area of the "Berkhivske reservoir", to "strengthen the sustainability of the defense", a statement interpreted by observers as an admission of retreat.
Lies, Wagner replies
"The Defense Ministry's attempts in the information field to water down the situation are and will lead to a global tragedy for Russia," Prigozhin said Friday. "We must immediately stop lying," he said.
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According to him, further advances by the Ukrainian army in this direction would allow it to encircle Wagner's men in Bakhmut, which is currently more than 90% in Russian hands. "The capture of Bakhmut will bring nothing to Russia because the flanks are crumbling and the front is collapsing," the Wagner boss said.
In open conflict with the Russian military hierarchy, Yevgeny Prigozhin has once again assured that he does not receive enough ammunition for his men, while according to him there are only twenty buildings under Ukrainian control inside Bakhmut.