Russia seems to have taken full control of Bakhmut.

Russia seems to have taken full control of Bakhmut.

For more than nine months, the relentless struggle for control over the city has persisted, plunging into a merciless war of attrition characterized by trench warfare. Since the onset of the invasion, no other urban center has endured such an extended siege, exacting a heavy toll on both Ukraine and Russia, with substantial losses incurred by both sides.

Putin praised the PMS Wagner and Russian troops for claiming the city, while the founder of Wagner played down the role of the regular Russian army and in a voice message on Telegram, said: "practically no one from the army helped us".

While certain news agencies initially claimed that during the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Zelenskyy seemed to acknowledge the loss of Bakhmut, a spokesperson clarified that the Ukrainian leader was, in fact, refuting the city's capture.

While Zelenskyy earlier issued statements like, “ No one will hand over Bakhmut. Bakhmut is a fortress. Not only will we not move away from Bakhmut, but we will go to liberate the Donbass”, there seems to be more to the story.