Russian mercenary group claims Ukraine's Bakhmut ‘captured’; Kyiv contests | World News

The announcement by Wagner got here as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took half within the G7 summit in Japan.

Bakhmut, a salt mining city that after had a inhabitants of 70,000 folks, has been the scene of the longest and bloodiest battle in Moscow's greater than year-long Ukraine offensive.

The autumn to Russia of Bakhmut, the place each Moscow and Kyiv are believed to have suffered large losses, would enable Moscow to deliver house a victory after a collection of humiliating defeats.

It could additionally come earlier than a significant counteroffensive that Kyiv has been making ready for months. Zelensky himself has stated that the autumn of the town would open the best way for Russian troops to seize extra elements of Donbas.

Wagner's boss Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed the town had fallen to his mercenaries in a video posted on Telegram, through which fighters held Russian flags towards a backdrop of ruins.

"Right this moment on Could 20, round noon, Bakhmut was taken in its entirety," Prigozhin stated within the video, including that Wagner fighters would search the captured metropolis earlier than handing it over to the official Russian military.

"By Could 25 we are going to fully study (Bakhmut), create the mandatory traces of defence and hand it to the army," Prigozhin stated. "We ourselves will go into area camps."

Artillery sound might be heard within the background of Prigozhin's video.

- 'Bakhmut might be liberated' -

Ukraine, which earlier this month claimed successes in and round Bakhmut, stated the battle was not over.

"Heavy combating in Bakhmut. The scenario is important," deputy defence minister Ganna Malyar posted on Telegram.

She stated Ukrainian troops have been "holding the defence" within the metropolis's "Airplane space".

"As of now, our defenders management sure industrial and infrastructure amenities within the space," she stated.

It was not doable for AFP to confirm both declare.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelensky, stated it was not the primary time that Prigozhin had made such claims, suggesting he is perhaps making an attempt to distract consideration from Zelensky diplomatic successes on the G7 summit in Japan.

In any case, he stated: "Bakhmut might be liberated, identical to another territory of Ukraine."

Podolyak was talking hours after Zelensky made a shock look on the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan -- one other diplomatic coup a day after he attended the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia.

Zelensky, who was flown in on a French authorities aircraft, was in a position to meet not simply G7 leaders however these from different key worldwide gamers such because the unaligned powers Brazil and India.

The fruits of his diplomatic efforts have already paid off, with the US asserting on Friday that it might enable Kyiv to accumulate F-16 fighter jets, probably the most refined materials but equipped by the West.

- ICC denounces Moscow warrant -

Prigozhin in the meantime continued his operating battle with Russia's army institution.

"The operation to seize Bakhmut -- the Bakhmut meat grinder -- lasted 224 days," Prigozhin stated, sporting a camouflage uniform. Moscow's losses would have been far smaller if it was not for incompetent generals, he added.

Wagner, which spearheaded the struggle for Bakhmut, is believed to have suffered large losses within the months-long storming of the town. Prigozhin has lengthy complained about Wagner not being given the suitable quantity of ammunition.

"There was solely Wagner right here (in Bakhmut)," he stated within the video. "We fought not solely the Ukrainian military right here, we fought Russian paperwork."

He blamed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Normal Workers Valery Gerasimov for turning the offensive into "their very own amusement".

"In the future in historical past they'll pay for his or her actions," Prigozhin stated.

The 2 camps are actually awaiting a counteroffensive introduced by Ukrainian authorities who're backed by Western arms deliveries. Zelensky stated not too long ago that his military wants extra time earlier than launching the assault.

The Worldwide Prison Courtroom responded on Saturday to yesterday's information that Moscow had put its prosecutor Karim Khan on a needed listing over his issuance of an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin.

Describing the transfer as "unacceptable", the Hague-based tribunal added: "The court docket will stay undeterred within the conduct of its lawful mandate to make sure accountability for the gravest crimes."

And the Vatican stated Saturday that Pope Francis had requested Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops' convention, to guide a peace mission to attempt to cease the combating.

bur/jj/cw