Ukraine ‘breaks through in Bakhmut’ after Wagner mercenary chief accuses Russian troops of abandoning their posts

12 May 2023, 11:53

Ukrainian forces have made significant advances with counter attacks on Russian positions near Bakhmut, after fierce fighting in the eastern city.

Ukraine’s military chiefs say their forces have advanced 1.2 miles in a week, taking back territory captured by Russian invaders.

Russia has officially denied reports that Ukraine has gained ground, but the chief of the Russian Wagner mercenary group said the “situation on the flanks is shaping up according to the worst predicted scenario.”

Yevgeny Prigozenhin accused regular Russian army troops of abandoning their positions. He said: “'Those territories, which were taken with the blood and lives of our comrades-in-arms for many months, every day, by tens or hundreds of metres are now being thrown almost without a fight by those [Russian army soldiers] who are supposed to hold our flanks.”

It is clear evidence of the success of the Ukrainian spring counter-offensive.

Russia’s defence minstry said: “The individual declarations on Telegram about a 'breakthrough' on several points on the frontline do not correspond to reality.

"The general situation in the special military operation zone is under control," it added.

Russia is understood to have suffered a significant loss of troops as Ukraine gained 2km - 1.2miles - with no loss of territory.

Russian military bloggers have reported Ukrainian troop advances.

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The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War reported Ukrainian Eastern Group of Forces Commander Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi claiming Russian forces had retreated up to two kilometre (1.24 miles) behind their lines.

Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Friday that her country’s forces had advanced by about a mile around Bakhmut this week.

She said “the enemy failed to carry out its plans; the enemy suffered great losses of manpower; our defenders advanced 2 km (1.2 miles) in the Bakhmut sector; we did not lose a single position in Bakhmut this week.”

The Institute for the Study of War tweeted: “Ukrainian forces likely broke through some Russian lines in localised counter-attacks near Bakhmut, prompting responses from Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).

“Ukrainian forces continued to conduct successful but localised counter-attacks around Bakhmut on May 11, likely constraining Russian offensive efforts.”

It added: “The deployment of low-quality Russian forces on the flanks around Bakhmut suggests that the Russian MoD has largely abandoned the aim of encircling a significant number of Ukrainian forces there.”

Ukrainian official Anton Gerashenko posted online: “Russian defense in Bakhmut and around the city continues to crumble - Prigozhin's fits speak for that.”

Moscow’s main target for months has been Bakhmut, which it has yet to fully capture despite the bloodiest ground combat in Europe since World War Two.