UKRAINIAN president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Russia has taken control of the key city of Bakhmut.
It comes after a bloody eight-month battle with Vladimir Putin’s forces and the Wagner Group private army which left the city in ruins
Fighting around the eastern city – which was once home to 70,000 people – has been some of the most vicious since the Russians invaded last February.
With vicious trench warfare and brutal hand-to-hand combat, the fighting has been compared to the battle of Verdun and the Somme from World War 1.
Ukraine had been holding strong – but faced constant human waves of Wagner Group fighters and Russian conscripts.
The seizure of the city was first announced yesterday by Putin’s mercenary warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin, who waves a Russian flag amongst the ruins.
And while his claim was initially met with scepticism, Zelensky confirmed the city’s fall as he attended the G7.
Bakhmut had been seen a symbol of Ukrainian defiance – and its fall will be a blow to Kyiv.
But with more Western weapons on the way, analysts remain confident Ukraine can mount a successful counter offensive in the coming weeks and months.
Zelensky was asked about Bakhmut as he attended a meeting with US President Joe Biden in Japan after he jetted in yesterday to attend the key summit.
When asked if it remained in Kyiv’s control, the hero president said: “I think no.”
“For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts. It is tragedy. There is nothing on this place.”
Zelensky pointed out Russia and the Wagner group had “destroyed everything” as they attempted to take control of Bakhmut.
