- Wagner Group suggests staying in Bakhmut after receiving a commitment to ammunition supply
- The situation comes after the group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, warned that he would withdraw his troops from the region due to a lack of ammunition
- Russia sees the battle for Bakhmut as a stepping stone to controlling other cities in the Donbas region
Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin suggests that his troops will stay in Bakhmut and defend their position after receiving a commitment for much-needed ammunition following his threat of withdrawing from the city.
The group allegedly received promises of being supplied with arms by Moscow. It said that its troops could continue attacking what Russia sees as a stepping stone to other cities in the Donbas region of Ukraine.
Wagner Group To Stay in Bakhmut
On Sunday, the Ukrainian general in charge of the defense of the city of Bakhmut said that Moscow had intensified its attacks on the region in an attempt to take control of the city by Tuesday. The situation comes as May 9 is celebrated as Victory Day in Russia as it marks the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, as per Reuters.
Russian and Ukrainian media reported explosions elsewhere in Crimea, and one instance of a blast happened in the Black Sea city of Odesa. The Russian defense ministry noted that its air defenses detected and destroyed 22 Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea that night.
The promise to Wagner's troops came after Prigozhin on Friday said his fighters, who were responsible for spearheading a months-long assault on Bakhmut, would pull out. This was due to a severe lack of ammunition and a series of "useless and unjustified" losses.
However, an audio message seemingly from Prigozhin said that Russia has promised to supply the Wagner Group with the ammunition it needs to continue fighting in Bakhmut. The Wagner leader added that his troops could advance by 280 meters.
Yevgeny Prigozhin's Warnings
Prigozhin previously posted a video of himself threatening to withdraw his troops from Bakhmut, showing a score of dead bodies of soldiers he said were unable to fight properly. According to CNN, he claimed there have already been "tens of thousands" of Wagner casualties in the battle for the region.
In a previous Telegram message on Saturday, Prigozhin noted that they had taken control of roughly 95% of Bakhmut. He added that for the remaining 5%, the "Red Army," a reference to the Russian Armed Forces (RAF), will not play any role.
Many have compared the Wagner Group's brutal tactics in the region to a "meat grinder." However, following his many threats to withdraw from the city, he claimed that his approach was no longer working as he had hoped.
Despite being on the same side against Ukraine, the Russian government and the Wagner Group have had a friction-filled relationship. Prigozhin has frequently criticized Moscow officials for what he claims is a lack of front-line support for his troops, said BBC.