Ukraine: Yevgeny Prigozhin announces troop withdrawal – but the fighting continues

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Yevgeny Prigozhin is serious – at least in front of the camera. In a video posted on Telegram on Thursday, the Wagner boss explains that the withdrawal of his fighters from the city of Bakhmut has begun. He had already announced it in advance. Units of the regular army are to take their place.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian oligarch:

"We are withdrawing units from Bakhmut. It's 5:00 a.m. on May 25th. Before June 1, most units will be deployed behind the front. We hand over positions, ammunition to the military, everything, including food rations. Of course, in the event that the military finds themselves in a difficult situation, we will leave behind those of our fighters who played a decisive role in the capture of Bakhmut.

In doing so, the oligarch refers to two fighters who seem to enjoy his special trust. According to him, they are supposed to stay behind in Bakhmut to support the Russian troops.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian oligarch:

"Come here, boys... Beaver and Dolik. This is beaver and this is dolik. At the moment when the military is in a difficult situation, they will stand up and block the path of the Ukrainian army. Guys, don't bully the military."

Prigozhin goes on to explain that soap and ammunition are being left behind for the troops behind, and that they themselves still have enough of it. However, his people would take their toothbrushes with them. The video looks strikingly staged and is obviously part of the power struggle between Prigozhin and the Russian army leadership, which has been going on for months.

At the weekend, Moscow announced the capture of the last Ukrainian positions in the city area of Bakhmut.

Kiev, on the other hand, continues to deny the complete capture of the city.

Either way, it is clear that even if the Russian aggressors drove the Ukrainian troops out of the city itself, this is probably not a decisive military success.

Because the fighting in the suburbs and around Bakhmut continues. As evidence of this, the Ukrainian military released new footage of a soldier's bodycam on Tuesday. Over the past week, Ukrainian units had reportedly made territorial gains around the city. The war in Donbass continues.