Russian soldiers fighting in Western Bakhmut, Wagner Group worried about Ukraine's attack

Russia's Defense Ministry said at a briefing on Friday that the attacking troops were fighting in the western parts of Bakhmut. The last part of the city in Ukraine is still held by Kiev's forces. Units from Ukraine and Russia have been battling for months over the eastern city, which is largely in ruins. The Ministry of Defense did not give any details of the recent fighting. Kiev said Russian forces had made some progress in the fierce fighting for Bakhmut, but the situation was under control.

"Decisions are being made according to military requirements," Deputy Defense Minister Hannah Malayar wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address that Kiev was actively building up new units that had not yet arrived on the front line.

Wagner Group is worried about Ukraine's attack

Zelensky and other officials have long promised that Ukraine would launch an offensive. Russia's assault on Bakhmut relies heavily on private forces from the Wagner Group, whose commander Yevgeny Prigozhin expressed concern on Friday about a Ukrainian counter-offensive. In an audio recording released on Telegram, he said, "Today we are killing people who were trained in Ukraine, but will be technically educated coming from Germany."

He said that "the West has handed over 230 tanks and 1500 other armored vehicles. This is also enough to resist." Ukraine, he predicted, would attack when the ground was firm after the rain. "They will attack, come and try to separate us, and we will have to resist," he said.