Ukrainian forces are continuing to resist Moscow'S attempts to seize the eastern city of Bakhmut, which now could take three to four weeks, according to Yevgeny Prigozhin, who heads the Russian mercenary force Wagner, in a Telegram channel attributed to him.
His comment comes just days after he claimed that Bakhmut had already been conquered.
Russia is still seeking to cut the supply lines of the Ukrainian defenders, which would enable them to enter the city from several directions and proceed with the "destruction of key military objects," he said.
Prigozhin was speaking against the backdrop of dozens of graves of his mercenaries. "This cemetery should one day become a memorial for future generations," he said, adding that his troops have suffered heavy losses in the fight for Bakhmut over the past few weeks.
"Yes, it [the cemetery] is growing."
Ukrainian troops have been fiercely defending Bakhmut for months, against attacks by Russian troops led by Wagner mercenaries.
Most of the city and parts of the centre are already under Russian control, but Ukrainian units are entrenched in the western part of the city, once home to 70,000 people before Moscow launched the full-scale invasion more than a year ago.
