The head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has declared that control of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut will be transferred to the Russian army by June 1. Prigozhin claimed that his troops had captured Bakhmut on Saturday, although Kyiv disputed this, stating that it still maintained control of parts of the city. Prigozhin announced that Wagner would start handing over the city to the Russian army on Thursday, with defense lines established on the city’s western side. While Ukrainian forces are said to be advancing on the outskirts of Bakhmut, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister mentioned that their movements had reduced in intensity. The capture of Bakhmut would be a symbolic victory for Russia, as Wagner mercenaries have focused their efforts on the city for months.

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