Wagner Group's financier says to hand over positions in Bakhmut to Kadyrovites
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the financier of the Wagner Private Military Company, has said that he would hand over his mercenaries' positions in the city of Bakhmut to Kadyrovites, the troops of Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, subordinated to Russia’s Armed Forces. [Chechen Republic is a Federal Subject of Russia; Ukraine recognised it as a territory temporarily occupied by Russia – ed.]
Source: Prigozhin’s press service
Quote: "I am grateful to Ramzan Akhmatovich [Kadyrov] for agreeing to take up our position in Bakhmut, most likely, having the ability to obtain everything he needed and all the necessary resources.
I am already in touch with his representatives to start the transfer of positions immediately so that on 10 May, at 00:00, precisely at the moment when we estimate that our combat potential will be completely exhausted, our comrades-in-arms will take our places and continue the assault on the city of Bakhmut."
Details: Prigozhin claims that only "a little more than two square kilometres" of Bakhmut are allegedly under the control of Ukrainian forces.
Background:
- On 3 May, Yevgeny Prigozhin wrote a letter to the Russian Defence Ministry, stating that he would withdraw the Wagner PMC mercenaries from Bakhmut after 10 May.
- He claims that this step is necessary because the Russian Ministry of Defence does not provide his mercenaries with enough ammunition, and he does not want his men to be "doomed to senseless death" because of this.
- The Armed Forces of Ukraine are sceptical about the claim made by Yevgeny Prigozhin that his mercenaries will supposedly start leaving Bakhmut on 10 May.
- Later, Kadyrov offered his assistance in the occupation of Bakhmut.
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