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Wagner leader posts video claiming victory in Soledar as Ukraine asserts that fighting continues
The founder and head of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, posted a video Saturday claiming he visited Soledar after it was taken over by his mercenaries “in two weeks.”
Kyiv has disputed Wagner’s declare that it now controls the small city, which holds important symbolic worth however is just not thought-about strategically pivotal. The city has additionally prompted infighting between Prigozhin’s non-public forces and Russia’s Protection Ministry over who deserves credit score for the assault.
Within the video, the Wagner mercenary chief mentioned he got here to city to award medals to his fighters — who he says have been virtually solely answerable for capturing Soledar.
The video exhibits Prigozhin standing with a person who he calls “a commander who helped to take over Soledar.”
“Soledar was taken over in two weeks,” Prigozhin mentioned. “Soledar was squeezed by our claws after which was divided into elements. You’ll be able to’t eat an elephant suddenly, like they are saying. It’s important to minimize it in elements.”
In accordance with Prigozhin, Ukrainian troopers who refused to give up have been killed. He mentioned, “the our bodies of Ukrainian troopers will probably be despatched again to their motherland.”
The non-public navy contractor has closely recruited from Russian prisons over the past 9 months. Beforehand it has deployed contingents to Syria and several other African nations.
Prigozhin credited what he described as a wealth of combating tools and communications methods for giving his drive an edge in battle.
What Ukraine is saying: Kyiv’s navy has mentioned that Wagner fighters, some with out physique armor and carrying solely grenades, have been killed of their tons of after launching one assault after one other in opposition to Soledar.
The Ukrainian navy mentioned late Saturday that heavy battles for the city proceed, with one regional chief describing the scenario as “tough however managed.”
Extra on Wagner’s chief: Prigozhin has been an more and more seen determine within the battle in Ukraine, visiting Wagner fighters on the entrance line and assembly former convicts who’ve accomplished their six-month tour of responsibility with Wagner. Prigozhin had promised them that in return for combating they might be pardoned and be capable of return residence, reasonably than to jail.
He has continuously contrasted the achievements of his Wagner fighters with what he has criticized because the poor management of the navy institution in Russia — a uncommon instance of open disagreement inside Russia in regards to the conduct of the Ukraine marketing campaign.