Prigozhin says Wagner forces have captured key village near Bakhmut

Wagner mercenary group founder Evgeny Prigozhin said Thursday that his troops have taken control of Klishchiivka, a village located about five kilometers (three miles) south of Bakhmut.

According to Prigozhin, Klishchiivka was captured “exclusively by Wagner Group units.” He added that heavy fighting is still ongoing outside of the village itself, and that Ukrainian troops are “clinging to every meter.”

“Contrary to various opinions about how the Ukrainian Armed Forces are fleeing Artemovsk [an old name for the city of Bakhmut], that’s not the case,” said Prigozhin.

Klishchiivka is strategically significant as it provides access to the Konstantinovka-Bakhmut highway; control of the highway would allow Russian forces to block Bakhmut from the southwest.

The Ukrainian General Staff has not confirmed the reports. In its daily briefing Thursday morning, it reported that Ukrainian troops had repelled a Russian attack in Klishchiivka.