Ukrainian Armed Forces Are Currently "Tearing Their Wings" – Prigozhin

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently "tearing their wings" in the direction of Artemovsk, regrouping in Zaporizhzhia, and will soon launch a counteroffensive. This was stated by Evgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private military company, in a video released on his press service's Telegram channel on Tuesday.

"Today, they (Ukrainian forces) are tearing their wings in the direction of Artemovsk, regrouping in Zaporizhzhia, and will soon go on the offensive. They are very clear about it: the counteroffensive will be on the ground, not on television," he noted.

The Wagner PMC will not leave Artemovsk (Ukrainian name: Bakhmut) for several more days, despite having received only 10 percent of the requested shells, Prigozhin added. He also mentioned that Russian forces in Artemovsk have only 2 square kilometers left to regain control over.

"Now the main task is to ensure that everyone is supplied with ammunition from the stocks. On May 7, it was promised to us that we would be provided. On May 8, at 2 AM, a combat order was received, stating 'give everything.' Today is May 9. On the 8th, there was a meeting during which we were given 10 percent of what we requested. We have been blatantly deceived. We will not leave Artemovsk; we will insist for a few more days," Prigozhin's words are quoted by his press service.

It is worth noting that Prigozhin had previously stated that on Monday, May 8, Wagner units advanced 130 meters in Artemovsk (Bakhmut).