Prigozhin invited Shoigu to come to Bakhmut

The founder of PMC “Wagner” Yevgeny Prigozhin asked the Minister of Defense of Russia Sergei Shoigu to come to Bakhmut, taking into account his “many years of experience in conducting combat operations.” The text of the appeal was published by Prigozhin’s press service.

The document states that PMC “Wagner” controls 95 percent of the territory of Bakhmut and is continuing its offensive. According to Prigozhin, the Ukrainian military launched a number of successful counterattacks on the flanks where the units of the Russian Armed Forces are located.

“Taking into account the complex operational situation, as well as your many years of experience in conducting hostilities, I am asking you to come to the territory of Bakhmut, which is under the control of paramilitary units of the Russian Federation, and independently assess the current situation,” Prigozhin said in the address.

• Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Anna Malyar, said on Friday that the Ukrainian Armed Forces advanced 2 kilometers in the Bakhmut area. According to her, the Russians are purposefully spreading false information about their lack of weapons to justify their failures at the front.
• In the last few days, Prigozhin has been in public conflict with the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Earlier, he said that mercenaries from PMC “Wagner” will leave their positions in Bakhmut after May 10 due to a lack of ammunition. He accused the Ministry of Defense of Russia, personally the head of the department, Sergei Shoigu, and the chief of the General Staff of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, who commands the combined group, for this.
• On May 6, Prigozhin published a detailed text about the PMC’s conflict with the Ministry of Defense. It follows that due to the counteraction of the PMC department, it suffers heavy losses, does not get the opportunity to recruit reinforcements, and is “actually bled to death.”