Wagner mercenaries fighting in Bakhmut will only last two more months if their tactics remain unchanged, Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Eastern Operational Command said on April 11.
Speaking on national television, Cherevatyi acknowledged that the forecast was subjective, although grounded in the high casualty rates of Wagner troops.
Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on Feb. 16 that Kremlin-backed private mercenary Wagner Group and Russian proxy units active in eastern Ukraine were losing up to 80% of some assault units.
The situation still remains difficult in Bakhmut, according to Cherevatyi.
However, the Ukrainian military command "clearly sees their plans, we know how to respond to them. Our intelligence and aerial surveillance are working," Cherevatyi said.
Wagner has been assisting Russia’s military in trying to capture Ukraine’s eastern city of Bakhmut for the past nine months as Moscow tries to consolidate its grip over the entirety of Donetsk Oblast. However, Ukrainian forces continue to hold the city.
Disputes between Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian officials have been ongoing for what the former perceives as a lack of proper artillery support for Wagner troops in Ukraine.
In late February, Prigozhin posted a photo on his Telegram channel of dozens of bodies that he claimed belonged to Wagner fighters killed on the previous day.
Along with the image, Prigozhin shared an audio interview in which he expressed his frustration towards the Defense Ministry for not providing his forces with adequate means to fight.
Francis Farrell
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