May 25 (Reuters) – Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has begun withdrawing its forces from the Ukrainian city of Pakmut and transitioning its positions to regular Russian troops, its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video released on Thursday.
“We are withdrawing units from Pakmut. Today at five in the morning, from May 25 to June 1, most of the units will return to the camps in the rear. We are handing over our positions to the army,” he said.
[1/3] Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner private mercenary, issued a statement during the Russia-Ukraine conflict in Bagmut, Ukraine, withdrawing his forces from Bagmut and handing over their positions to regular Russian troops. Video…
The video, released on Telegram by his press service, showed Prigozhin dressed in combat clothing and standing near a war-torn residential block.
Prigogine announced the capture of Bagmouth on Saturday, after the longest and bloodiest battle of the war.
In a recent video, Prigozhin, who publicly criticized senior Russian security officials, said his forces would be ready to return to Bagmuth if the regular army could not manage the situation.
Reuters reporting by Mark Trevelyan
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