Head of Russia's Wagner group urges reporters to stop prematurely reporting Bakhmut's takeover

The head of Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group urged journalists Tuesday to stop publishing reports on Russian troops’ seizure of the strategic Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

In a post on Telegram, Yevgeny Prigozhin also told journalists to stop using the word "cleared" (the territory), noting that if "to clear" means "to kill," than the killing overnight of the 12,000-20,000 troops that by various estimates are fighting in the city is only possible in movies.

According to Prigozhin, his fighters are doing "everything" to take Bakhmut under their control, but “we are still not given ammunition, military equipment, weapons and vehicles.”

"Sapper shovels after almost a month, by the way, were given (to us)," he said.

Commenting on remarks by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, who said Bakhmut has almost been taken, Prigozhin said he has not seen him in the city and does not know why he is saying that.

"Perhaps in order to please the Russian audience. Perhaps to annoy (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy…And we feel Zelenskyy's anger on us in full," he said.

According to Prigozhin, "the heaviest battles are going on day and night, but the Ukrainians are not fleeing anywhere."

"Zelenskyy does not run out of people. More and more thousands are thrown into the 'meat grinder,'" Prigozhin said, adding the Ukrainian army in contrast to the Wagner group has ammunition and other supplies in abundance.

He claimed that some 11,000 Ukrainian troops died in battles over the past month.

"Attention again! Ukrainians don't run away anywhere. They die en masse for Bakhmut and surrender only as a last resort. Stop thinking of them as cowards. They are the same as us, and they have the same blood flowing in them," he added.