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The strong leader of Russia’s Wagner mercenary force ridiculed Moscow’s claim that it had stopped a massive Ukrainian onslaught in Donetsk on Tuesday as “absurd science fiction.” Moscow claimed to have destroyed military hardware and suffered significant human losses.
According to Russia’s defence ministry, its forces had successfully resisted Ukraine’s second major onslaught in two days, destroying 109 armoured vehicles and eight main battle Leopard tanks that had been sent to Ukraine by its Western allies, among other pieces of military hardware.
It said that 1,500 Ukrainian servicemen were lost in all.
Reuters was unable to independently confirm Russia’s claims, and Kyiv made no immediate comments in response. Frequently, neither side could independently verify accusations that the other had inflicted significant human casualties.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose Wagner Group spent months engaged in combat in Bakhmut, and who has tense relations with Moscow, questioned the accuracy of the statement from the military ministry.
He stated in comments posted on the Telegram channel of his press office that it would take daily gains of 150 km to murder that many people.
Therefore, in my opinion, this is just wacky and ridiculous science fiction, “Prigozhin stated.
According to the ministry’s numbers, “we have already destroyed the entire planet five times over,” he added ironically.
With Moscow’s defence establishment over how Russia’s campaign in Ukraine is being run and what he claims is inadequate support being given to his Wagner forces, Prigozhin has regularly engaged in conflict.
Although it is uncertain if Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive has started, Russia claims that Ukrainian soldiers have started a significant offensive in the southern region of Donetsk.
According to the Russian defence ministry’s Telegram account on Tuesday, Kyiv persisted for the second straight day.
According to the ministry, “a complex fire defeat” had been inflicted after the Kiev regime reorganised the remnants of the 23rd and 31st mechanised brigades into separate consolidated units after suffering significant losses the day before.
Officials from Ukraine avoided queries on the subject on Monday and haven’t mentioned any big, noteworthy new campaigns.
