Prigozhin posted the video on his Telegram channel.
The leader of the Wagner group was filmed having a conversation near a truck with soldiers, stating that approximately 12 military companies would remain in Bakhmut.
According to the video, the main part of the group would leave that day, and the rest would depart by the 5th, as previously predicted. They stated that their presence in Bakhmut was no longer necessary, and they would continue preparations and rest in their current location. Prigozhin, in the video, congratulated those in the rear area.
Yevgeny Prigozhin's statements have shed light on his strained relationship with the top military leadership of the Russian Federation.
He has repeatedly complained about the insufficient supply of ammunition to his fighters and publicly criticized officials of the Russian Ministry of Defense, including its head, Sergei Shoigu. Furthermore, Prigozhin and other high-ranking Wagner members claim to have been completely cut off from the government communication line and denied access to Russian ministries.
The conflict between the Russian Ministry of Defense and Yevgeny Prigozhin reached its peak during the Battle of Bakhmut, according to the Institute for the Study of War's report on March 13.
On May 15, reports emerged suggesting that Prigozhin had offered Ukraine information about the positions of Russian troops in exchange for the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces from Bakhmut.
Additionally, on May 31, it was revealed that the Wagner PMC had been using Twitter and Facebook to recruit new terrorists for their mercenary group.