Wagner chief says his forces will withdraw from Bakhmut

Prigozhin said they would pull back on May 10 – ending their involvement in the longest and bloodiest battle of the Ukraine conglict – because of heavy losses and inadequate ammunition supplies. He asked defence chiefs to insert regular army troops in their place.

“I declare on behalf of the Wagner fighters, on behalf of the Wagner command, that on May 10, 2023, we are obliged to transfer positions in the settlement of Bakhmut to units of the defence ministry and withdraw the remains of Wagner to logistics camps to lick our wounds,” Prigozhin said in a statement.

“Im pulling Wagner units out of Bakhmut because in the absence of ammunition theyre doomed to perish senselessly.”

Wagner has been spearheading Russias long and costly attempt to capture Bakhmut and Prigozhin said three weeks ago that his men controlled more than 80% of the city.

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