Putin congratulated the mercenaries and the army on the capture of Bakhmut

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the private military company Wagner (PMC) and the Russian army on the completion of the operation to seize the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. This was reported in the press service of the Kremlin. Last week, the Ministry of Defense announced the takeover of the city, which was initially announced by the founder of the PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

“Vladimir Putin congratulates the assault subunits of the Wagner PMC, as well as all soldiers of the units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the successful liberation of Artemovsk,” the press service reported. All those who distinguished themselves during this operation will be rewarded.

The Ministry of Defense informed that Artemovsk was “liberated” thanks to the offensive of the PMC assault troops with the support of the artillery and aviation of the Southern Group of Forces.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said that his fighters completely occupied the city on May 20 at noon. In the period until May 25, the mercenaries will inspect Artemovsk, create defensive lines, and then hand over the city to the military for further control, the businessman added. From this day on, a private military company will begin to withdraw its units “for rest and retraining.”

The Ukrainian authorities deny information about Bakhmut’s capture. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said on May 20 that the Ukrainian military controls “some industrial and infrastructure facilities” in the Samolet district in the city’s southwest, as well as the private sector located there. Russia actually destroyed Bakhmut in an attempt to take him, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said while speaking at the G7 summit in Hiroshima.