Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the city had been razed to the ground due to long-running clashes around the city of Bahmut, but denied that Russia had taken control. Zelenskiy, who was in Japan for the G7 summit, was asked whether the control of the city in eastern Ukraine was in Ukraine.
SINGLE EXPLANATIONS! DID BAHMUT FALL?
His office later issued a statement saying that Zelenskiy did not say that the city had fallen.
The leader of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, which plays an active role in the war in Ukraine, said in a video on Saturday that his forces had captured the city, which Ukrainian authorities denied.
RUSSIA: “WE SAVE BAHMUT”
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Wagner and the Russian military on Sunday for “rescuing” Bahmut. In a statement published on the Kremlin’s website, Putin stated that the Battle of Bahmut resulted in Russia’s victory.
“SYMBOLIC VICTORY”
Commentators say Bahmut has little strategic value for Moscow, but that the capture of the city after the longest ever battle of the Ukrainian war represents a symbolic victory for Russia.
Western officials estimate that between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in Bahmut. It is stated that the Ukrainian army also paid a heavy price.
“ONLY IN OUR HEARTS”
Zelenskiy, who participated in important negotiations at the meeting of the G7 countries in Hiroshima, Japan, was asked a question about Bahmut.
According to the AFP news agency, Zelenski stated that the city was destroyed and said, “There is nothing left. For today, Bahmut is only in our hearts.”
HE SAID ‘THE CASTLE OF UKRAINE MORALE’
Almost all of the population fled the city, which was destroyed. Zelensky had previously described Bahmut as the “stronghold” of Ukrainian morale. Ukraine feels that Russia has exhausted its army and supplies in the protracted war.
While posing with some of his fighters on Saturday, Wagner’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin said his forces had taken control of the entire city.
Prigozhin had previously claimed that his forces had captured Bahmut or most of it, but the war continued.
STATEMENT FROM ZELENSKY AFTER BIDEN MEETING
On the other hand, Zelenskiy met with US President Joe Biden in Japan, where he was within the scope of the G7 Summit. According to DHA, Zelenski made a statement about the meeting on his official social media account and said, “Joseph Biden, thank you for your leadership, for the weapons, for your decision to train the pilots. I believe that the wings of our common freedom will undoubtedly be the strongest wings in the world.”
