Ukrainian President Praised Forces’ Progress, Mocks Moscow

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday praised the field gains his forces had made near the eastern Ukraine town of Bakhmut and scoffed at the reaction from Moscow, which announced that the large-scale attacks had been repulsed.

Zelensky Believes Ukraine Will Win

“We see how Russia responds hysterically to all the gains we are making in this sector, to all the sites we control… Moscow knows that Ukraine will win,” Zelensky said in a video message.

The commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, Oleksandr Sersky, had announced today that his country’s forces were continuing to advance near Bakhmut, and confirmed that his forces had managed to destroy a Russian position near the city.

For its part, Russia confirmed on Monday that it had repelled a large-scale attack in eastern and southern Ukraine, noting it had inflicted heavy casualties on Ukrainians in terms of personnel and equipment.

Confession of Commander Wagner

On Monday, the commander of the Russian Wagner Group acknowledged that Kiev forces had recaptured part of the village of Berkhivka, north of Bakhmut.

Interestingly, the battles that have taken place in the city of Bakhmut in recent months have revealed major differences between Wagner’s commander and the Russian General Staff and shed light on the declining relationship between Prigozhin and the military leadership in Moscow, which has repeatedly described as treacherous and inactive.

He also accused him of withholding weapons and ammunition from his forces, which caused him heavy casualties in Ukraine, and also recently warned of a major revolution in Russia if this approach continues.