On some front sections of the city in eastern Ukraine, which has been heavily fought over for months, Russian troops have retreated by up to two kilometers.
(Photo: AP)
Kyiv After weeks of heavy fighting and repeated losses of position in the embattled town of Bakhmut, Ukrainian units have again made major gains in terrain. The Russian mercenary group Wagner, which had been militarily successful until then, was increasingly under pressure, as their boss Yevgeny Prigoschin admitted on Wednesday evening. His fighters are in acute danger of being encircled.
According to its own statements, the Ukrainian army pushed back the Russian troops in some places near Bakhmut. “We are conducting effective counterattacks there,” Ukrainian army commander Olexander Syrski said on Telegram on Wednesday evening. On some front sections of the city in eastern Ukraine, which has been heavily fought over for months, Russian troops have retreated by up to two kilometers.
According to Syrski, the Wagner combat units deployed at Bachmut were replaced in some sections by regular Russian army units. These less well-trained units have now been defeated, Syrski said. However, the battle for Bakhmut continues.
The information provided by the Ukrainian military about their successes could not initially be independently verified.
Mercenary chief Prigozhin fears encirclement at Bakhmut
The head of the Wagner mercenary unit fears that his unit will be encircled in the battle for Bachmut. “In view of the lack of ammunition, the “meat grinder” now threatens to rotate in the opposite direction,” Prigozhin wrote on Telegram on Wednesday evening.
The city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine continues to be heavily contested.
(Photo: dpa)
Due to high losses, Wagner had to leave flank protection to regular units of the Russian army, which, according to reports from the Ukrainian military, were clearly pushed back. “There is now a serious danger of Wagner being encircled by the collapse of the flanks,” wrote Prigozhin. “And the flanks are already cracked and crumbling.”
This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:
Ukraine has been resisting a Russian invasion for over 14 months. The city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, which is held by Ukrainian troops, has been a focus of hostilities for months. A major counter-offensive by the Ukrainian army has been expected for weeks.
General Staff: Russians loot industrial zones near Zaporizhia
Parallel to the evacuation of the civilian population in the Zaporizhia region in southern Ukraine, which they control, the Russian occupiers have also started looting and dismantling in the industrial zones there, according to information from Kiev. In Enerhodar, all the city’s medical facilities were completely looted, the Ukrainian general staff said in its situation report.
All of the medical equipment was taken to Simferopol on the Crimean Peninsula, which was also occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014. Again, this information could not be independently verified.
Some time ago, in anticipation of a Ukrainian offensive to recapture occupied territories, the Russian occupation authorities began evacuating civilians south of the area surrounding the occupation forces-controlled Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
The Czech Republic is supplying two anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine
The Czech Republic surrendered two Soviet 2K12 Kub anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. The delivery includes a “relatively large number of missiles,” said Czech President Petr Pavel.
Ukraine can use this technology immediately because its soldiers are familiar with it. The system can, for example, protect armored formations against attacks from the air. As a further possibility, the ex-general brought up considerations to provide Kiev with light Aero L-159 fighter jets.
Zelensky: Russian tyranny will not prevail anywhere
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky promised his compatriots that he would use foreign support to drive the Russian occupiers out of the country completely. “We will not surrender a single piece of our country to the enemy – tyranny will not reign anywhere,” said Zelenskiy in his nightly video address on Wednesday.
“Let’s not forget that every day the occupier is on our land is a temptation for him to believe that he will succeed,” Zelenskiy said. “He won’t succeed! We must bring back freedom, security and Europe to the whole Ukrainian land.”
The reconstruction of the war-torn country is already being prepared with foreign aid, said Selenski – from business and industry to armaments, energy, infrastructure and education to social and health care. “Now, in May, we will finalize the concrete points of these state programs, and in June we will work on our plans with our (foreign) partners,” Zelenskiy said. “Here, in Ukraine, the world will see what Europe is capable of.”
That will be important on Thursday
Further fighting is also expected around the town of Bakhmut on Thursday.
More: Current news on the development of the Ukraine war can be found in our news blog