Moscow claimed on Friday that Ukrainian forces are surrounded in fierce front-line fighting in the city of Bahamut, with Wagner’s “boss” Yevgeny Prigozhin denying the news!

Fighters from Prigozhin’s private Wagner paramilitary organization took control of the latter road axis used for supply of the Ukrainian military, reducing the potential for further supply deliveries, Yan Gagin, a spokesman for pro-Russian forces in Kremlin-controlled Donetsk, told reporters earlier.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that detachments of Wagner are fighting in the western part of Bakhmut with the support of airborne troops.

The refutation of Prigozhin

Commenting on the Telegram reports, Yevgeny Prigozhin stated that It is too early to be told that his fighters surrounded Artemovsk (Bakhmut). He also emphasized that the fierce battles continue in Artemovsk and that “the early announcements about their results cause only problems at PMC Wagner’.

The head of Wagner claimed in late March that the battle for the city “almost destroyed the Ukrainian army” and also caused casualties in his mercenary group.

Russian forces have been trying for months to capture Bakhmut, a transport and logistics hub in the Donetsk region.

Kiev: “Under control” the situation in Bakhmut

Ukraine announced for its part that Russian forces have made some progress in the fierce fighting in Bakhmut, but that the situation is under control.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar made the remarks shortly before the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian assault troops were now fighting in the western parts of Bakhmut, the last part of the city held by Ukrainian forces.

“The situation is tense, but under control,” Maliar wrote on the Telegram messaging app, adding that “Decisions are made according to military expediency.”