Prigozhin's words were published by his press service.
He noted that in order to block the Wagner PMC, Ukrainian troops created one group in Slavyansk (67 brigade), the second in Seversk (81 and 66 brigades).
They also created two more groups in the settlements of Chasov Yar and Konstantinovka.
The Office of the President of Ukraine earlier said that Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny and Commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky decided to continue the defense of Artyomovsk.
According to RT, the Armed Forces of Ukraine currently have practically no reserves that are not involved in hostilities, so there is no talk of bringing fresh forces to the area of Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) and Chasov Yar by Kiev.