MOSCOW: Moscow said on Thursday that Russian forces were “blocking” Ukrainian forces from getting in or out of the frontline hotspot of Bakhmut.
However, the head of mercenary group Wagner, which has spearheaded much of the fighting for the city, said it was “too early” to say Bakhmut was surrounded.
Kyiv has not yet commented on the claims regarding the longest and bloodiest battle since the start of Moscow’s Ukraine offensive.
“Airborne troops are providing support to advancing assault troops, blocking the transfer of Ukrainian army reserves to the city and the possibility of retreat for enemy units,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.
The statement said “Wagner assault units were continuing high-intensity combat operations to oust the enemy from the central quarters” of the city in eastern Ukraine.
The Wagner mercenary group says it has spearheaded the Russian attack on Bakhmut.
In a statement, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said however it was “too early” to say Russia has Bakhmut surrounded.
Recent days appear to have pointed toward gains in Bakhmut for Moscow, with several Russian correspondents publishing images from inside the city.
The Russian-installed head of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, also made a trip to Bakhmut this week.
Bakhmut had a population of 70,000 people before Moscow launched its offensive.
Both Russia and Ukraine are believed to have suffered huge losses in the battle, despite analysts saying the city has little strategic value.
Russia says Ukraine forces cut off inside Bakhmut
https://arab.news/2yakg
Russia says Ukraine forces cut off inside Bakhmut
- The head of mercenary group Wagner said it was "too early" to say Bakhmut was surrounded
- Recent days appear to have pointed towards gains in Bakhmut for Moscow
Germany plays down threat of US invading Greenland after talks
WASHINGTON: Germany’s top diplomat on Monday played down the risk of a US attack on Greenland, after President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to seize the island from NATO ally Denmark.
Asked after meeting Secretary of State Marco Rubio about a unilateral military move by Trump, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said: “I have no indication that this is being seriously considered.”
“Rather, I believe there is a common interest in addressing the security issues that arise in the Arctic region, and that we should and will do so,” he told reporters.
“NATO is only now in the process of developing more concrete plans on this, and these will then be discussed jointly with our US partners.”
Wadephul’s visit comes ahead of talks this week in Washington between Rubio and the top diplomats of Denmark and Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Trump in recent days has vowed that the United States will take Greenland “one way or the other” and said he can do it “the nice way or the more difficult way.”
Greenland’s government on Monday repeated that it would not accept a US takeover under “any circumstance.”
Greenland and NATO also said Monday that they were working on bolstering defense of the Arctic territory, a key concern cited by Trump.
Trump has repeatedly pointed to growing Arctic activity by Russia and China as a reason why the United States needs to take over Greenland.
But he has also spoken more broadly of his desire to expand the land mass controlled by the United States.
