Prigozhin accuses Russian military of attacking Wagner mercenaries during retreat from Bakhmut

He made the statement in a report published by Prigozhin's press service.

The report says that Wagner mercenaries were moving near the villages of Opytne and Ozerianivka when they saw Russian soldiers allegedly mining roads in the mercenaries' rear.

The PMC’s sappers were dispatched to the area for reconnaissance and demining purposes. However, as per Prigozhin's account, they came under fire from positions associated with the Russian Defense Ministry. In response, the mercenaries took action to neutralize the threat and apprehend those responsible.

Subsequently, Prigozhin's channel presented an interrogation of an individual claiming to be a lieutenant colonel-commander from the 72nd separate motorized rifle brigade. He alleged that he had opened fire on Wagner fighters due to “personal animosity.”

The situation in Bakhmut

On May 20, the leader of the Russian Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, released a video statement claiming that the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut had been fully occupied by Russian forces.

Subsequently, Prigozhin announced the beginning of the withdrawal of his units from Bakhmut. However, according to Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defense, Hanna Maliar, as of the evening of May 31, the Ukrainian Defense Forces maintained control over the outskirts of the city in the southwestern part. Additionally, the entrance to the city was under Ukrainian control. Maliar stated that Russia had ceased its offensive in the Bakhmut direction but had escalated the frequency of artillery attacks.

On the morning of June 1, Prigozhin posted a video in which he said that most of his fighters were leaving Bakhmut for the rear areas. The next day, he said that the escape routes from the city for his fighters had been mined by representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry.

Instead, British intelligence emphasized that the Russian command was deploying airborne troops to replace Wagner mercenaries in Bakhmut.

On June 3, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported that the situation in Bakhmut was relatively stable. It further noted that Wagner PMC had not withdrawn from the city and was engaged in providing instructional support to regular army units that had recently arrived.

In addition, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said that Russia's losses in Bakhmut over the past six months amounted to almost 23,000 soldiers, while Ukraine's losses were 7.5 times less.