Ukraine claims Russia replaced Wagner forces in Bakhmut with ‘regular army units’

Ukraine on Thursday claimed that Moscow replaced forces of the Wagner paramilitary group in Bakhmut city, Donetsk region, with "regular army units."

"In the suburbs of Bakhmut, the enemy replaced Wagner's units with army regular units. At the moment, the Wagnerites remain in the same city of Bakhmut," said Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar in a statement on Telegram.

Maliar also claimed that Ukrainian forces controlled the Litak area in the city's southwest, indicating that Russian forces are trying to halt their advances on the flanks and are placing additional units in this area.

Russian forces are conducting offensives in several directions, including Avdiivka, Marinka, Lyman, Kupiansk, and Bakhmut, she claimed, adding that they have been "unsuccessful."

"Battles are currently ongoing on Kupiansk. The enemy attacks, tries to capture a bridgehead for further advance, suffers losses," according to her.

Russian forces have been trying for months to capture Bakhmut, a transport and logistics hub in the Donetsk region, which is part of the largely Russian-speaking industrialized Donbas region.

Last Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry and the Wagner paramilitary group claimed their forces took complete control of the city. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied the claims during a press conference after the most recent G-7 summit in Japan.