Cherevatyj talked about the last deadline by which Bakhmut should be taken over, while making fun of how this date is changing: “The occupiers can already apply to be entered in the Guinness Book of Records for constantly changing the deadline. When it couldn’t be done by May 1st, it was pushed to May 9th.’
“Despite significant enemy losses, new units of Wagnerites, other private army fighters and paratroopers are constantly being thrown into battle. However, the enemy failed in his attempt to take control of the city,” added the spokesman, according to Politika. According to some sources, Russian President Vladimir Putin even threatened Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that otherwise he and other commanders would bear the consequences.
Cherevatyi chose almost the same words as the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Osleksandr Syrskyi, who confessed. “The situation is quite complicated. The enemy made numerous attacks and tried to break the defense of our positions in several directions. However, thanks to the steadfastness and courage of the defenders of the fortress (Bakhmut), the enemy’s actions did not succeed.” Syrskyj added that in some places the defenders succeeded in counterattacking and the enemy had to leave some captured places.
Photo: Libkos, CTK/AP
From Bachmut on Wednesday, April 26
The Institute for the Study of War warned that some Russian positions in Bakhmut are threatened by counterattacks.
At the same time, the Russians have problems with ammunition supplies. The owner of Wagner’s private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, also complained about its lack, and threatened that if the Wagnerites did not get it, they could withdraw. “If the supply of ammunition is refused, I am considering the necessity of passing on the information to the highest commanders, whether under the conditions of the lack of ammunition, it is feasible for Wagner’s group to continue operating in Bachmut” He also complained about the absence of medics.
At the end of the last working week, he said that April 28 was the deadline by which he would decide “whether we will attack Bachmut or not; now he will decide whether we will stay here or not.” Prigozhin emphasized that the Wagnerites are patriots, they will fight for Bachmut to the last bullet, but the ammunition is not enough even for a week, let alone for a longer period of time.” In this situation, he cannot do anything else, before withdrawing. “It is much more likely that we will be forced to withdraw from part of the territory,” he said.
🚨 #Bakhmut may very well end up being the catalyst for a Russian civil war.
1) Putin has ordered that Bakhmut must be taken by May 8th, in time for the Soviet Victory Day parade on May 9th. He has threatened Shoigu and others with dire consequences.
2) Prigozhin has Putin’s… pic.twitter.com/DgRVrliDgV— Igor Sushko (@igorushko) April 29, 2023
Prigozhin warned against the Ukrainian attack: “The bell is already ringing.” Ukrainian attack bell. We need ammunition and we need to stop lying to the people of the Russian Federation that everything is ok. At the same time, the withdrawal of the Wagnerites would endanger the soldiers of the regular army, who would come under pressure from the Ukrainians, and this would make the position of the Russian command, which already faces harsh criticism, even more difficult.