'Putin's Chef' Admits His Mercenaries Hit Dead End in Ukrainian Stronghold

[Eugene]

Source: Daily Beast

MOMENT OF TRUTH?

‘Putin’s Chef’ Admits His Mercenaries Hit Dead End in Ukrainian Stronghold

Yevgeny Prigozhin tried to make excuses for Wagner’s failure to take Bakhmut, claiming Ukraine’s “500 lines of defense” have been impossible to penetrate.

Allison Quinn
News Editor
Published Jan. 03, 2023 7:23AM ET

Russia’s shadow army boss has tried to explain away his mercenary group’s failure to take the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut by claiming Ukraine has “500 lines of defense” there.

Yevgeny Prigozhin made the claim in an interview with RIA Novosti published Tuesday, telling the news agency that the Wagner Group can’t seem to break through Ukrainian defenses around the city.

Ukraine’s military has fended off a Russian takeover there during months of brutal battles against the notorious mercenaries. In the face of relentless Russian attacks, the city has gained huge symbolic significance.

While pro-Kremlin pundits and Prigozhin himself have for weeks taunted Ukrainians with threats that Bakhmut will soon fall to Russia, the Wagner boss now appears to be acknowledging what Western experts and British intelligence have already predicted: Russia is unlikely to achieve any major wins in the area any time soon.

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Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/putins-chef-yevgeny-prigozhin-admits-his-mercenaries-hit-dead-end-in-bakhmut