The head of Russia's private army says his fighters will transfer control of Bakhmut to the Russian army by June 1. But Kyiv says Russia has "not occupied" Bakhmut. DW has the latest.
EDnews informs via Reuters that the founder of Wagner, Russia's private military group, Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday that his forces will leave Bakhmut by the beginning of next month.
Wagner, working alongside Russian forces, claimed on Saturday to have taken the eastern Ukrainian city, which Kyiv has denied.
Prigozhin said in an audio message posted to Telegram that the handover would happen between May 25 and June 1.
He added that his mercenary fighters had set up "defense lines" on the western outskirts of Bakhmut before a planned transfer of control to the Russian army.