The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group claimed that Russian forces had raised their country’s flag in the center of Bakhmut, but a senior Ukrainian official said on Monday that Kyiv’s forces were still fighting for the embattled eastern city.

Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner private military company, said on Sunday that his fighters had hoisted a Russian flag and one representing the group’s forces over an administrative building in Bakhmut. In a post on the Telegram messaging app, he acknowledged that Ukrainian troops were still in the western part of the city but said that “legally, Bakhmut is taken.”

Andriy Yermak, top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, on Monday rejected the assertion that Bakhmut had fallen. “Not even close to the reality,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Ukrainian authorities have declared Bakhmut off limits to journalists, and it was not possible to independently confirm either side’s account of the fighting.

The battle for Bakhmut, which began last summer, has become one of Russia’s longest-running assaults since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago. Wagner fighters initially spearheaded the battle. As the fighting has intensified in recent months, Moscow has thrown thousands of men from its armed forces and Wagner into a grinding and often block-by-block battle that has produced heavy casualties for both sides.

Bakhmut, an industrial city with a prewar population of around 70,000, is at the heart of a Russian campaign to seize all of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Months of shelling and bitter fighting have shattered Bakhmut and forced much of its population to flee.

While Bakhmut’s strategic importance has been debated, the battle for the city has taken on great symbolism. While both sides have sustained heavy losses, military experts and Ukrainian authorities say that Russian casualties have been far higher and have sapped Moscow’s ability to pursue its broader offensive in the east.

Russian forces have advanced steadily into the city in recent weeks, and at one point it appeared that Ukraine might be preparing to retreat. But Mr. Zelensky vowed not to give up Bakhmut, and senior Ukrainian generals have since said that the situation in the city could be stabilized.

On Monday, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, said that the situation in Bakhmut “remains very tense” and that Russian forces appeared bent on capturing the city.

“Excessively high losses in personnel do not stop the enemy. Their decisions are emotional,” she said in a Telegram post. “Our defenders have to stop the advance of the enemy in difficult conditions.”

Wagner Claims ‘Legal’ Control of Bakhmut While Ukraine Says It Is Still Fighting

The battle for Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine has been raging for months, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces suffering heavy casualties. Recently, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner private military company, claimed that his fighters had raised the Russian flag in the center of Bakhmut, while also acknowledging that Ukrainian troops were still in the western part of the city. However, Ukrainian officials have disputed the claim, stating that they are still fighting for control of the embattled city.

The Wagner Mercenary Group Claims Legal Control of Bakhmut

Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner private military company, posted on the Telegram messaging app that his fighters had hoisted a Russian flag and one representing the group’s forces over an administrative building in Bakhmut. He claimed that “legally, Bakhmut is taken.” The battle for Bakhmut has become one of Russia’s longest-running assaults since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago. Wagner fighters initially spearheaded the battle.

Ukrainian Officials Dispute the Claim

Andriy Yermak, the top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, has disputed the claim, stating that the city is still under Ukrainian control. “Not even close to the reality,” he wrote on Twitter. Ukrainian authorities have declared Bakhmut off limits to journalists, so it is not possible to independently confirm either side’s account of the fighting.

The Battle for Bakhmut

Bakhmut is an industrial city with a prewar population of around 70,000, and it is at the heart of a Russian campaign to seize all of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Months of shelling and bitter fighting have shattered Bakhmut and forced much of its population to flee.

While Bakhmut’s strategic importance has been debated, the battle for the city has taken on great symbolism. Both sides have sustained heavy losses, but military experts and Ukrainian authorities say that Russian casualties have been far higher and have sapped Moscow’s ability to pursue its broader offensive in the east.

Russian Forces Advance into the City

Russian forces have advanced steadily into the city in recent weeks, and at one point, it appeared that Ukraine might be preparing to retreat. However, Mr. Zelensky vowed not to give up Bakhmut, and senior Ukrainian generals have since said that the situation in the city could be stabilized.

The Situation Remains Tense

On Monday, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, said that the situation in Bakhmut “remains very tense” and that Russian forces appeared bent on capturing the city. “Excessively high losses in personnel do not stop the enemy. Their decisions are emotional,” she said in a Telegram post. “Our defenders have to stop the advance of the enemy in difficult conditions.”

Conclusion

The battle for Bakhmut continues to rage, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Russian forces have advanced into the city, but Ukrainian officials maintain that they are still fighting for control. The situation remains tense, and the outcome of the battle is uncertain.

FAQs

1. What is the significance of Bakhmut? Bakhmut is an industrial city at the heart of a Russian campaign to seize all of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The battle for the city has taken on great symbolism.
2. Who is Yevgeny V. Prigozhin? Yevgeny V. Prigozhin is the leader of the Wagner private military company, which has been involved in the battle for Bakhmut.