Ukraine: Prigozhin says Bakhmut is ‘surrounded’ by Wagner This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
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Russian military officers are reportedly refusing to launch a new attack on the Ukrainian town of Vugledar after suffering heavy losses in a tank battle. It has been claimed that Russia lost around 130 tanks and armoured fighting vehicles in a recent offensive to take the town, located in the Donetsk oblast.
Related articles Ukrainian military officers told the Kyiv Post that the Russian brigade refused orders to continue attacking the town.
One was quoted as saying: “The leaders of the brigade and senior officers are refusing to proceed with a new senseless attack as demanded by their unskilled commanders – to storm well-defended Ukrainian positions with little protection or preparation.”
The Russian military is reportedly close to taking the town of Bakhmut, also in the east of Ukraine, but this battle has also exposed divisions within Russian ranks.
Yevgeny Priogzohin, leader of the Wagner private military group, has accused Russian forces of withholding ammunition from them.
Russian tanks have been destroyed in Ukraine (Image: Getty)
Prigozhin said: “I’m knocking on all doors and sounding the alarm about ammunition and reinforcements, as well as the need to cover our flanks.
“If everyone is coordinated, without ambition, screw-ups and tantrums, and carries out this work, then we will block the armed forces of Ukraine. If not, then everyone will be s*****d.”
He also warned that the “front will collapse” of Wagner stops helping Russia.
Prigozhin added: “If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse. The situation will not be sweet for all military formations protecting Russian interests.”
THIS LIVE HAS NOW CLOSED
9 hours ago01:24 Isabella Marsans
Ukrainian POW ‘gunned down by Russians’ after saying ‘glory to Ukraine’ in horror footageA video showing the execution of a Ukrainian soldier shocked the world on Monday as the man was shot multiple times after saying “Glory to Ukraine”.
A Ukrainian prisoner of war was shot in cold blood after shouting “Glory to Ukraine” in a video that was circulated online on Monday.
The video shows a man in a Ukrainian uniform finishing his last cigarette and saying “Glory to Ukraine”, before being shot multiple times.
It is not clear where and when the video was made and independent sources are yet to confirm its authenticity.
The soldier was named on Tuesday by the Ukrainian military as Tymofiy Shadura. He had been missing since February 3.
Ahead of the announcement, Mr Shadura’s sister told the BBC: “My brother would certainly be capable of standing up to the Russians like that.
“He never hid the truth in his life and certainly wouldn’t do so in front of the enemy.”
10 hours ago00:46 Isabella Marsans
Europe warned over Russian ‘nuclear issue’ as Iron Curtain draws on continent once againEurope could well be on the brink of returning to a Cold War-type divide. Many believe it has already happened.
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic,” Sir Winston Churchill said during an impassioned speech while visiting Missouri under the watchful eye of US President Harry Truman.
“An iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”
His remarks, made 77 years ago, came a year after World War 2, and just as the threat of the Soviet Union became unnervingly real.
Dividing Europe into two separate entities in the aftermath of the bruising conflict, the Iron Curtain was supposedly brought down in 1991.
But many believe history is moving towards repeating itself.
11 hours ago23:33 Isabella Marsans
Putin ‘improving’ in Ukraine as Russia on cusp of mass military mobilisationWhile many have started to question the capability of Vladimir Putin’s army, others believe that his troops haven’t yet scratched the surface.
The world “shouldn’t underestimate” Russia in the Ukraine war despite a year of setbacks and embarrassments, Express.co.uk has been told.
It comes as the country is believed to be preparing to send hundreds of thousands of conscriptsto the frontline in eastern Ukraine, where a long and bloody battle has been taking place for months.
Intense fighting is happening in and around the city of Bakhmut, and both Russia and Ukraine are struggling to replenish their dwindling ammunition stores.
Reports now suggest that soldiers in the region are increasingly fighting in close combat situations, with the UK Defence Ministry claiming Russian troops are resorting to fighting with shovels.
It all points to a Russia seriously on the back foot and one that may not be able to hold out for much longer without the help of foreign powers.
Yet, while the situation appears to be falling out of Vladimir Putin’s favour, some are still weary of calling short the country’s chances.
What Moscow currently lacks in firepower and international support it makes up for in sheer manpower.
13 hours ago21:46 Helen Bennicke
Ukrainian drone delivers revenge to Russian soldier who gesticulated at itA Ukrainian drone delivered revenge by dropping grenades on a Russian soldier after he gave it the finger. Video footage shared online shows the moment the UAV catches sight of the Russian soldier in a wooded area. The Russian soldier then raises his middle finger before reaching for his rifle. The drone hovers over the soldiers before dropping its cargo causing the troops below to scramble for cover. At least four grenades were dropped by the Ukrainian drone, potentially causing damage to a Soviet-era Konkurs anti-tank missile.
13 hours ago21:30 Helen Bennicke
Western officials say up 30,000 Russians may have been killed in BakhmutWestern officials say between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops may have been killed in Bakhmut since last Summer after more than six months of fighting in the city. According to officials, more than 90 percent of the city’s pre-invasion inhabitants have fled. In a statement posted on Telegram, Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister, said Ukraine had lost 11,000 troops in February. However, western officials say they “don’t recognise” Mr Shoigu’s figures.
13 hours ago21:06 Helen Bennicke
Russia losing five soldiers for every one UkrainianRussia is losing five soldiers for every Ukrainian soldier killed in Bakhmut according to one NATO official. Speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity, the official said the five-to-one ratio was based on western intelligence. However, they said Ukraine was still suffering significant losses.
15 hours ago19:50 Helen Bennicke
President Zelensky warns there will be an ‘open road’ for Russian forces if Bakhmut is lostPresident Zelensky has warned that Russian troops will have an “open road” to other cities in Ukraine if they capture Bakhmut. In an interview with CNN, the Ukrainian leader said: “We understand that after Bakhmut they could go further. They could go to Kramatorsk, they could go to Sloviansk, it would be open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine, in the Donetsk direction.”
He added: “We understand what Russia wants to achieve there. Russia needs at least some victory – a small victory – even by ruining everything in Bakhmut, just killing every civilian there.”There has been fierce fighting in Bakhmut in recent days as both sides battle to maintain control of the city.
16 hours ago18:19 Christopher Sharp
Hundreds pack Kyiv church to mourn Ukrainian saboteursHundreds of mourners packed a church in Kyiv today to mourn and grieve for Ukrainian saboteurs killed on a mission in Russia. The funeral took place in front of a large audience, many in camouflage and covering their faces. The service was commemorating four men killed in December during a mission in Russia’s Bryanksk region. Russia’s FSB said it had killed the men while Russian media said their bodies were handed over earlier this month.The men’s coffins were draped with the banner of a nationalist battalion called Bratstvo, meaning Brotherhood.
17 hours ago17:51 Christopher Sharp
New intelligence suggests pro-Ukrainian group blew up Nord Stream pipelineNew intelligence from US officials suggests that a pro-Ukraine group carried out an attack on the Nord Stream pipeline last year. The New York Times reported there was no evidence that President Volodymyr Zelensky or his top lieutenants were involved in the operation, or that the perpetrators were acting on the direction of the Ukrainian government. The attacks have added fuel to speculation about who was responsible and came as the battle for the eastern mining town of Bakhmut intensified.
17 hours ago17:16 Christopher Sharp
Ukraine approves new laws for forced evacuation from active combat zonesThe Ukrainian government has authorised a new mechanism for the forced evacuation of children from active combat zones according to the country’s Ministry of Reintegration.In a post on the social media network Telegram, it said that from now on the basis for mandatory evacuation is a decision to be taken by regional military administrations, in agreement with military command bodies as well as Coordination Headquarters.As part of the plans, it said parents, or another legal representative, will accompany evacuee children. The decision came after the issue was raised and taken under personal control by deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk.
19 hours ago15:23 Helen Bennicke
Russian officers mutiny as troops given 1960s tanksRussian officers could turn mutinous if they aren’t given fresh supplies of ammunition and up-to-date heavy armour, reports claim. The Ministry of Defence said that instead of being given the latest T-14 Armata battle tank, an elite Russian tank force is being given elderly T-62s. The tanks date from as early as 1961, more than 60 years before the war in Ukraine began. The T-14, though feared is notoriously unreliable. One famously broke down in public during rehearsals for a parade in Moscow in 2015. The MOD said: “These vintage vehicle types will present many vulnerabilities on the modern battlefield, including the absence of modern explosive-reactive armour”.
21 hours ago13:07 Charlie Bradley
Ukraine names soldier allegedly shot by Russian forcesUkraine has named the prisoner of war who appeared to be shot dead by Russian soldiers in a graphic video.
In the clip circulating on Telegram, a detained Ukrainian soldier called Tymofiy Mykolayovych Shadura shouts “glory to Ukraine” just seconds before being shot.
Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to “find the murderers” allegedly responsible for the soldier’s death.
He added: “Today, a video has emerged of the occupiers brutally killing a warrior who bravely said to their faces: ‘Glory to Ukraine!’‘
“I want us all to respond to his words together, in unity: ‘Glory to the hero! Glory to the heroes! Glory to Ukraine!’ And we will find the murderers. Ukraine will not forget the feat of each and every one whose lives gave freedom to Ukraine forever.”
Tymofiy Mykolayovych Shadura is the soldier in the video (Image: Twitter)
22 hours ago12:44 Charlie Bradley
Russia’s deficit jumps to £29billion thanks to Putin’s war spendingRussia’s budget deficit has jumped in the first two months of 2023.
A combination of slumping oil and gas prices alongside Vladimir Putin’s war spending has taken its toll.
The shortfall for the Kremlin has reached 2.58trillion roubles in January and February, equivalent to £29billion.
Putin is spending heavily on the war (Image: Getty)
23 hours ago11:51 Charlie Bradley
Belarus claims to have detained Ukrainian “terrorist group”Belarus says it has captured a Ukrainian “terrorist group” working with Ukrainian intelligence services to sabotage a Belarusian airfield.
Belta news agency and Reuters both report the claims.
This comes after anti-government protestors in Belarus claimed they blew up a Russian military surveillance aircraft in a drone attack near Minsk.
Leaders in Belarus and Russia disputed the claim.
Video footage appeared to show moments before the attack, where a drone is approaching the Russian aircraft.
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko (Image: Getty)
23 hours ago11:04 Charlie Bradley
Russia hopes capturing Bakhmut will lead to more territorial gains.Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has said that his troops taking the city of Bakhmut could enable Vladimir Putin’s men to attack more towns and cities.
Shoigu also warned the West that its military support for Ukraine won’t stop Russia from achieving its objectives.
Reuters quoted Shoigu as saying: “The liberation of Artemovsk continues”. Artemovsk is the Soviet-era name for Bakhmut.
Shoigu was speaking on Tuesday (Image: Getty)
yesterday09:56 Charlie Bradley
Zelesnky vows to find Russian troops who allegedly killed Ukrainian war prisonerUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has promised to find the Russian soldiers who allegedly killed a Ukrainian prisoner of war.
He simply said on Monday: “We will find the murderers.”
In a video, a Ukrainian soldier is seen smoking a cigarette. He says “glory to Ukraine” shortly before being shot.
An image from the video of the soldier (Image: BBC screenshot)
yesterday09:15 Charlie Bradley
Ukraine’s mud season could impact resuppliesUkraine’s muddy season could impact efforts to resupply Kyiv’s troops as they continue to battle with Russian forces.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that the defence of Bakhmut “continues to degrade forces on both sides” and that, over the weekend, Ukrainian forces likely stabilised “their defensive perimeter following previous Russian advances into the north of the town.”
But the MoD warned that resupply routes will become muddy and therefore “likely hamper Ukrainian resupply efforts as they increasingly resort to using unpaved tracks.”
Ukraine has entered ‘muddy season’ (Image: Getty)
yesterday08:22 Charlie Bradley
Russia’s ‘tankenstein’ makeshift vehiclesRussian soldiers are being forced to wield older turrets onto armoured vehicles to make makeshift tanks
The Telegraph reports that strange vehicles are being deployed to try and shoot down Ukrainian drones.
Vladimir Putin’s men are suffering from shortages of armoured vehicles and ammunition.
Footage also appears to show a 25mm 2M-3 twin-barrelled naval anti-aircraft turret fitted to a Soviet-era MT-LB amphibious fighting vehicle, forming a makeshift tank.
Russia’s hybrid tank (Image: Telegraph)
yesterday08:04 Charlie Bradley
Zelensky vows Ukraine will defend Bakhmut from Russian troopsUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Russia that Kyiv’s men will not retreat from Bakhmut.
Troops continue to clash in bloody fighting in the city, and recent reports have suggested Ukraine could tactically withdraw after being overwhelmed by Russian soldiers.
But, Zelesnky said: “I told the chief of staff to find the appropriate forces to help the guys in Bakhmut. There is no part of Ukraine about which one can say that it can be abandoned.”
The Ukrainian President had been meeting with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine’s ground forces.
Zelensky’s office said both men “spoke in favour of continuing the defensive operation and further strengthening [Ukrainian] positions in Bakhmut.”
Zelensky says Ukraine won’t give up Bakhmu (Image: Getty)
yesterday07:49 Charlie Bradley
China’s foreign minister blames ‘invisible hand’ for Russia-Ukraine warChina’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, has claimed that the war in Ukraine has been driven by an “invisible hand…using the Ukraine crisis to serve certain geopolitical agendas”.
Leaders in Beijing have failed to condemn Vladimir Putin for ordering his invasion of Ukraine last February.
Now, Qin appears to be blaming the West and accusing Ukraine’s allies of escalating the war.
He added: “Conflict, sanctions, and pressure will not solve the problem … The process of peace talks should begin as soon as possible, and the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be respected.”
Qin blamed an ‘invisible hand’ (Image: Getty)
yesterday07:43 Charlie Bradley
Ukraine LIVEGood morning. Charlie Bradley here providing you with updates from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This week, Russian officers reportedly staged a mutiny and abandoned their assault on a key town after suffering heavy losses in the battle. The development, which highlights the intensifying conflict between the Russian-backed forces and the Ukrainian army, is seen as a major setback for the Kremlin’s forces.
The town of Debaltseve has been a major battleground in the ongoing conflict between the Ukrainian forces and the Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Last week, pro-Russian rebel forces launched an offensive to seize control of the town, leading to a fierce battle with Ukrainian troops.
However, the Russian officers in charge of the operation reportedly became demoralized after suffering heavy losses from the Ukrainian troops. They are said to have refused to continue the assault and instead “abandoned the attack,” according to a source in the Russian military.
The development has been met with surprise by both sides in the conflict. It is seen as a setback for the pro-Russian forces, as their push to take control of the town appears to have stalled.
However, Ukrainian troops appear to be shifting their focus to other areas, and Ukrainian officials have sought to downplay the significance of the incident. They have insisted that they will continue to push back against the Russian-backed forces in the region.
Ultimately, the mutiny by the Russian officers highlights the challenging situation facing the pro-Russian forces in the region. It also appears to have stalled their push to take control of the strategic town of Debaltseve.
