Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group, announced on Monday that the group plans to pull its forces out of Bakhmut. The statement indicated a move to withdraw before the start of June, marking a significant shift after months of grueling combat in eastern Ukraine. The remarks were shared with his followers on the Telegram channel, where Prigozhin laid out a timeline and described the strategic posture on the western frontlines around Artimovosk, the Russian name for Bakhmut.
According to Prigozhin, defensive positions were already established along the western outskirts as preparations began for the withdrawal from May 25 to June 1. He suggested that if the Russian Defense Ministry faced shortages in manpower for the defense of Bakhmut, the available leadership could form an improvised force. He implied that even a regiment formed from senior officers could be equipped with rifles and basic gear to maintain a level of protection as the withdrawal proceeded.
The Wagner chief also echoed statements from Denis Pushilin, the interim head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, regarding the initiation of mine clearance operations inside Bakhmut. This project aligns with reports of the city undergoing rehabilitation after prolonged heavy fighting that left widespread devastation in its wake and altered control dynamics in the region.
On the broader timeline, Russian authorities had asserted that Bakhmut had been captured following nearly ten months of intense conflict. The capture narrative comes amid ongoing debates about the strategic value of Bakhmut and the broader implications for the war in eastern Ukraine. Analysts have noted that the battlefield status has shifted multiple times as forces reorganize and adjust tactics in response to evolving conditions on the ground. Reuters has reported on the sequence of events, providing context for the declarations and counterclaims that have characterized this phase of the conflict.