On May 20, the founder of the Private Military Company (PMC) “Wagner” Yevgeny Prigozhin said that the PMC detachments had taken Bakhmut (Artemovsk (Bakhmut)) under full control. The Ministry of Defense has not officially commented on this information, and in Kyiv they claim that the “severe fighting” will continue. How the authorities of Russia and Ukraine, as well as military correspondents and pro-war bloggers, reacted to Prigozhin’s statement about the capture of Bakhmut in the Russian media compilation.
Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev
Elon, you asked me about Bakhmut… Come see for yourself!
(tweeted in response to Musk’s question “By the way, how’s Bakhmut?”, asked on October 21, 2022 in the comments under one of Medvedev’s posts).
Chairman of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Serhiy Cherevaty
This (Prigozhin’s statement) is not true. Our Divisions continue fighting in Bakhmut.
There was only a very small area left, it is already easy to bombard it and it is difficult to hold many people there. Therefore, it is clear that sooner or later, for security reasons, we will get out of there (quote from Focus).
Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar
Bakhmut has heavy fighting. The situation is critical.
Acting Head of the DPR Denis Pushilin
There is a special symbolism in the fact that today we are talking about the complete liberation of Artemovsk (Bakhmut), which Ukrainian propagandists called nothing more than an “impregnable fortress”. A year ago, on the same day, the last militants of the National Azov Battalion* went to Mariupol – May 20 has already become a special date for us twice.
PMC “Wagner” fighters did a colossal job: every meter was paid dearly.
He launched, now officially, the creation of state awards of the Donetsk People’s Republic of the Russian Federation for the liberation of Artemovsk (Bakhmut).
Valentin Sprinchak / TASS
Leader of the party “Just Russia – For the truth” (SZRP) Sergei Mironov
Consider it a gift for our convention (SZRP).
Former Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People’s Republic Igor Strelkov (Girkin)
Bakhmut was “tormented”. It doesn’t excite me at all.
Voenkor VGTRK Alexander Sladkov
Yes, Prigozhin’s small assault army is in the lead. But I must admit that without the empathy of society, I cannot even imagine this victory.
My dream is for those who have given, perhaps, some kind of slack to get up. They are not traitors, they are our people, they are our soldiers of flesh and blood. But the victory is now in the hands of “Wagner” and all those who rubbed shoulders with them.
Telegram channel “Rybar”
As Prigozhin has repeatedly expressed, the task of the PMC included causing maximum damage to the Ukrainian army so that the RF armed forces can recover after mobilization. And he repeatedly stressed that after the Battle of Bakhmut, the PMC will complete its mission and leave the NVO zone. How this will turn out today – at a time when the Ukrainian formations are actively counterattacking and trying to break through the flanks – only time will tell.
Despite the long-awaited success, the situation at the front is only approaching in the active phase. The Ukrainian armed forces lost tens of thousands of people in the defense of Bakhmut and Soledar, but some parts of the strategic reserve were not involved. And it is his fall (of Bakhmut) that can become a catalyst for the start of the long-awaited offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Voenkor Semyon Pegov (telegram channel WarGonzo )
In the future, military historians still have to evaluate this operation, calculate the strength and losses of each side and analyze the effect of the battles of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) on the whole military campaign. That this influence is significant is beyond doubt. This is understandable even by the reflection of the “Bakhmutov meat grinder” in the media space – for example, Artyomovsk became the grave of many well-known Ukrainian neo-Nazis, mercenaries and entire foreign units.
Libkos/AP
Voenkor Alexander Kots
It is very symbolic that Artemovsk (Bakhmut) was completely taken on the day Mariupol was liberated. <…> PS Regards to Alexei “Russia will no longer take over a single city” Arestovich.
Battalion commander of the DNR “Vostok” Alexander Khodakovsky
Today, May 20, the preparation of the enemy for an offensive in the direction of Zaporizhzhia was to be completed. All previous days he was concentrating forces, coordinating, strengthening air defense – in general, he was engaged in military work required in such cases. At the same time, the epic with Bakhmut was coming to an end, after which, according to Prigozhin, the enemy would inevitably go on the offensive. Two circumstances coincided, there is no visible reason not to move forward – we start the countdown.
Military analyst Boris Rozhin (telegram channel colonelcassad )
Despite the joy of victory, remember today those who fell during those months in and around the city so that this victory may become possible.
The enemy lost one of the key cities in Donbass, suffered monstrous losses in manpower and equipment, was forced to adjust plans for other operations and at the same time received a powerful blow of picture. <…>
Now Wagner has 3 significant victories – Popasnaya, Soledar and Artemovsk (Bakhmut), not counting Svetlodarsk, Uglegorsk TPP, etc. The case where powerful PR is backed by powerful deeds you’re not ashamed of. As everyone understands, Wagner PMC is now the No. 1 in the market of private military companies, not only in our country, but also in the world. The state has a very serious tool, and it would be very desirable if friction in the apparatus or personal ambitions did not prevent its further use in the interest of achieving victory in the war.
For Russia, the battle of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) became one of the bloodiest and longest since the Great Patriotic War.
Political scientist Sergei Markov
Wagner’s main task was not to take Bakhmut faster, but to destroy as many APUs as possible. And Wagner did. <…> Militarily, little will change on the Bakhmut front. The fighting will continue in the direction of Konstantinovka, Chasov Yar. And further to Kramatorsk and Slaviansk. With a high probability (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy will give the order to launch the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in order to regain the loss of Bakhmut in the media.
NOW queue behind the Russian army, which must, in the great battles to come, restore to Russia the pride of its army.
- a terrorist organization banned in Russia
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