Russia-Ukraine war news: Russian troops in Bakhmut fleeing, Wagner's Prigozhin says
Ukraine live briefing: Wagner head accuses Russian troops of fleeing Bakhmut; U.S., U.K. pledge continued aid British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said their countries would continue support for Ukraine regardless of the outcome of Kyiv's coming counteroffensive. (Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
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Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group that has been engaged in intense combat against Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut, added to a string of videos attacking Russian military leaders, accusing their soldiers of fleeing the battlefield and causing hundreds of Wagner casualties. A Ukrainian assault brigade later posted on Telegram, saying Russia’s 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade had escaped from the city. The Washington Post could not verify their claims.
Last week, Prigozhin threatened to pull his troops from Bakhmut on May 10 because of weapons and ammunition shortages. He later appeared to distance himself from those threats.
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly promised continued support for Ukraine regardless of the outcome of Kyiv’s anticipated counteroffensive. Ukrainian officials worry that the operation, which is expected to start in the coming weeks, could fall short of Western expectations and jeopardize future aid.
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Here’s the latest on the war and its ripple effects across the globe.
Key developments
Cleverly warned that “the Ukrainians have consistently outperformed expectations, but there can be no guarantees in war,” as he promised support no matter the outcome of Ukraine’s planned spring offensive. Such aid, he said at a as he promised support no matter the outcome of Ukraine’s planned spring offensive. Such aid, he said at a news conference with Blinken, should continue “irrespective of whether this forthcoming offensive generates huge gains on the battlefield.” Ukrainian officials have sought to tamp down expectations for the operation, which will depend on donated Western weapons and training.
Blinken and Cleverly also urged Russia to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal that has allowed Kyiv to export grain through the Black Sea despite the ongoing war. Cleverly exhorted Russia to “re-sign the Black Sea Grain Initiative and do so immediately,” and Blinken repeated accusations that Russia is using hunger as a weapon. When the deal was last up for a 120-day renewal, on March 18, Russia would only agree to extend it for 60 days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared his country’s fight against Russia to the battle against Nazism , after Russian President Vladimir Putin , after Russian President Vladimir Putin described his invasion as a part of a “real war” being waged against Russia during his Victory Day speech. Zelensky said in his nightly address that it is “only a matter of time before the current aggressor loses, like the aggressor who lost 78 years ago, before Russian revanchism is crushed by the bravery of our warriors and the joint power of the free world.”
The United States announced a fresh $1.2 billion military assistance package for Ukraine. It includes air defense systems and munitions, 155mm artillery rounds, commercial satellite imagery services and more training support, the Pentagon It includes air defense systems and munitions, 155mm artillery rounds, commercial satellite imagery services and more training support, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
Arman Soldin, a journalist for Agence France-Presse, was killed close to the front lines in Bakhmut , the French news agency said. Soldin, who was AFP’s Ukraine video coordinator, , the French news agency said. Soldin, who was AFP’s Ukraine video coordinator, was killed by rocket fire near Chasiv Yar, less than 10 miles from Bakhmut.
Russian forces have forbidden Ukrainian employees working at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant from leaving the city, Ukraine’s military said Wednesday, while evacuating the workers’ families to Russian-held territory. Russian authorities said this week that they were , Ukraine’s military said Wednesday, while evacuating the workers’ families to Russian-held territory. Russian authorities said this week that they were preparing to evacuate about 3,100 staff from areas in and around the facility, according to the head of Ukraine’s nuclear operator, amid fear that a Ukrainian offensive could result in damage to the plant.
From our correspondents
U.S. says it has disabled major Russian cyberespionage operation: Federal law enforcement officials have hacked and disabled a complex Russian cyberespionage operation that had been used to steal sensitive material from the United States and its allies for about 20 years, Perry Stein reports. Officials said they had been looking at the network for almost as long as it was online, but had only executed a search warrant this week.
“Through a high-tech operation that turned Russian malware against itself, U.S. law enforcement has neutralized one of Russia’s most sophisticated cyberespionage tools, used for two decades to advance Russia’s authoritarian objectives,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a news release.
Source: The Washington Post
