Prigozhin admits that Wagner cannot encircle Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut, blames Russian Defense Ministry to satisfy his ambitions

This was stated by the Institute for the Study of War.

Thus, Prigozhin accused the Russian Defense Ministry of losing favorable positions after his subordinate units retreated from positions on the flanks of Bakhmut necessary for encirclement. 

Wagner PMC had long announced plans to surround Bakhmut and trap Ukrainian forces, but were unable to do so after the Ukrainian army began actively defending the city.

ISW had previously estimated that Russian troops were unlikely to surround Bakhmut after Wagner forces made several quick breakthroughs to the north, south and east of the city in the winter and spring of 2023. 

"Prigozhin likely anticipated that Ukrainian forces would entirely withdraw from Bakhmut out of fear of imminent encirclement and even offered to allow President Volodymyr Zelensky to withdraw Ukrainian forces from the city on March 3," the experts reminded. 

Instead, Ukrainian forces prioritized the defense of land communications to the west of Bakhmut, which forced Wagner troops to fight in urban conditions and fight their way right through the city.

"Prigozhin’s admission further supports Ukrainian officials’ statements that Wagner is losing the initiative on the battlefield," the Institute says.

In addition, bloggers affiliated with Prigozhin and his mercenaries blame Russian regular troops for military failures in Bakhmut and its surroundings.

Prigozhin directly appealed to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov to hold Sakko i Vantsetti for at least a few more days. He accused Gerasimov of retreating Russian troops from the flanks of Bakhmut.

A Russian blogger affiliated with Wagner PMC stated on May 18 that Russian forces lacked the organization, fire support, coordination, and training necessary to defend the flanks of Bakhmut. He claimed that Russian airborne troops had attempted to occupy territory in the "gray zone" and that Ukrainian forces had immediately stopped them with artillery fire, preventing Russians from advancing and gaining a foothold in their intended location.

"Prigozhin’s efforts to blame the Russian military for failures around Bakhmut are causing some ultranationalists to accuse him of using the Battle for Bakhmut to satisfy his personal ambitions," analysts say.

Russian leaders (siloviki) are trying to discredit Prigozhin by accusing him of trying to use the victory in Bakhmut to advance his political aspirations in Russia, the Institute adds.

• Earlier, Commander of Ukrainian Land Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi called the advance of Ukrainian troops in the Bakhmut area the first success of the offensive.

• Later, the Institute for the Study of War noted that Russian troops were losing the initiative in the Bakhmut area, despite the limited nature of the Ukrainian defenders' counterattacks. 

• On May 17, the Ukrainian Defense Forces covered almost 2 kilometers of distance in the Bakhmut direction, said Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesman for the Eastern Grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.