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The Wagner Group's elite forces are helping Russian troops surround the city, according to a Zelensky adviser.
An advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hinted on Wednesday that the Ukrainian military could opt to withdraw soldiers from the vital stronghold of Bakhmut as Russia continued its onslaught to take the city.
Alexander Rodnyansky, an economic adviser to President Zelenskyy, told CNN that the Ukrainian military will consider all options, as reported by AP News.
"So far, they've held the city, but if need be, they will strategically pull back. We're not going to sacrifice all of our people just for nothing," the Ukrainian official said.
In a months-long operation to seize Bakhmut in Ukraine's Donetsk area, defenders have resisted Russian fire and suffered considerable fatalities in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Rodnyansky said that Russia is attempting to surround the city with the help of the Wagner Group's elite forces. Yevgeny Prigozhin, a renegade tycoon with strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, heads the private military group infamous for its ruthless methods.
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The Russian mercenary army commander, who has spent months trying to take Bakhmut and the neighboring communities, claimed on Wednesday that Ukraine is providing stiff opposition to Russia's plans to encircle and seize Donetsk, according to CNBC.
Yevgeny Prigozhin refuted claims in Russian media that Ukrainian government troops had been given orders to withdraw from Bakhmut. He said that Ukraine was instead using all available resources to defend the city, which Russia refers to as "Artemivsk."
Russia Hit by Drone Strikes
One year after the start of the Russia Ukraine war, Russia faces a new threat in the form of a rash of drone strikes, prompting President Vladimir Putin to request border patrols be bolstered.
The Russian defense ministry reports that three drones were shot down on Tuesday; one fell within 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Moscow, while the other two were shot down in southern Russia, per Al Jazeera.
Officials restricted the airspace above St. Petersburg in reaction to what some sources suggested was a drone.
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