Ukrainian authorities dismissed the Wagner Group chairman’s remarks as false information this Monday in connection with the situation around the city of Bakhmut, located in Donetsk region in the east. The official response came as Kyiv sought to counter what it described as propaganda aimed at shaping international perception of the fighting around the city.
In a message posted on his Telegram channel, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, urged the public to calmly ignore false reports from forces that “dream of victories” that do not exist on the ground. The statement reflected Ukraine’s effort to maintain clarity amid competing narratives about the conflict.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, reaffirmed that Bakhmut remains under Ukrainian control. He noted that Russian troops and Wagner Group mercenaries have faced increasing resistance and growing challenges with public support inside the contested area, indicating a tightening grip by Ukrainian forces as the battle for the city continued.
According to Syrskyi, the enemy’s attempts to rewrite events and present fictitious gains only expose the weakness of the assault and the weaknesses in its overall campaign. He emphasized that the achievements of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area counter the propaganda efforts that aim to mislead observers abroad and domestically.
The commander highlighted the contributions of every Ukrainian servicemember deployed to the Bakhmut sector, underscoring that their sustained defense has helped repel attempts by opposing forces to seize the city. He asserted that Bakhmut will remain Ukrainian soil and reiterated the resolve to defend it with determination and unity.
Earlier on Monday, Prigozhin claimed that Wagner mercenaries had been in control of the city’s center for several weeks, a statement that added another layer to the information flux surrounding Bakhmut. Moscow has historically refrained from publicly detailing movements in such high-intensity zones, while Wagner Group supporters sometimes announced territorial claims prior to official confirmation.
In recent days, Prigozhin had framed clashes around Bakhmut as a decisive test of military capability, suggesting destabilizing results for Ukrainian forces. Western intelligence assessments, however, carried a more cautious note at the time, with some analysts describing the situation as complex and contested, and noting that some areas around the city remained disputed or subject to conflicting claims.
As the situation evolved, Ukrainian officials continued to present a narrative of steadfast defense and resilience. They stressed that the fight in Bakhmut is part of a broader struggle to maintain sovereignty and deter further aggression, reinforcing their message that the city remains an integral part of Ukraine and will be defended accordingly. The ongoing discourse around Bakhmut underscores the broader strategic contest in the region and the competing narratives that accompany modern warfare, where battlefield realities and propaganda can diverge in rapid succession. [Source attribution: national defense briefings and corroborating assessments from allied intelligence services.]