- ZERO HEDGE - TYLER DURDEN - MAY 13, 2023 -
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin clarified late Saturday in an audio statement that despite regular Russian forces having "retreated" from parts of Bakhmut's north (in his words), his own Wagner fighters are still advancing.
So it seems his power struggle with the military chain of command and defense ministry continues, as he persists in his controversial narrative that it's only his company that's spearheading gains and engaged in heavy fighting (akin to the battle for Soledar).
Prigozhin stressed that Wagner advanced today, and that Ukraine controls only 1 square km in Bahmut and remains in control of just 29 or so tall buildings.
"O EIXO DO MAL LATINO AMERICANO E A NOVA ORDEM MUNDIAL"
Meanwhile TASS has cited the head of an elite Russian unit to say that intensified Ukrainian engagement has only happened along some parts of the frontlines:
Commander of the Akhmat commando unit and Deputy Commander of the 2nd Army Corps Apty Alaudinov said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops increased their activity only in some sectors of the line of engagement. Earlier, Yan Gagin, an advisor to Acting DPR Head Denis Pushilin, reported that Ukrainian units had become more active along the entire line of combat engagement. "The Ukrainian units became active not along the entire line of combat engagement, only in certain parts and still the situation has not significantly changed," Alaudinov told TASS. "The situation is completely under control in our sector," he added.
The day prior, the defense ministry acknowledged some degree of a pullback in limited sectors in the north of the city. Prigozhin had described the regular forces as "fleeing" - a characterization which was denied by the Kremlin.
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Shortly after a Russian military helicopter crash was reported early Saturday in a region near the Ukrainian border, a second crash of an aircraft has been reported, at a moment of continuing general bad news for Moscow related to the Ukraine war. Possibly a third aircraft downing has also been reported - all within a matter of hours.
"An Su-34 fighter jet crashed in Bryansk Region, Russia near the Ukrainian border, minutes after reports that an unidentified helicopter also went down in the area, TASS news agency reported on Saturday, citing sources," state media is reporting.
Details on casualties weren't initially revealed, but images and video circulating on social media show what appears to be a crash site, including the jet's tail and engine on fire.
The jet crash reportedly happened near the village of Istrovka north of the Ukrainian border, and unofficial military channels online are saying the pilot and navigator were killed.
Just hours before news of the jet crash emerged, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter separately caught fire and crashed. It may have been shot down. Newsweek is meanwhile suggesting that a total of two helicopters crashed within the same time frame, reporting that--
A Su-34 combat jet and a Mi-8 helicopter came down on Saturday, according to Russia's state-owned Tass news agency. Russian online news channel Mash posted on Telegram that another Mi-8 helicopter and a Su-35 warplane crashed in the same area on Saturday.
There's also growing speculation that given multiple aircraft came down in the same region, it may have been from a Ukrainian attack on the aircraft, but this is unconfirmed:
This was also reported by Russian media outlet Readovka, who said: "Two helicopters and fighter-bombers were shot down by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Our pilots were ambushed and we are talking about a carefully planned operation." Newsweek has been unable to independently verify reports of the additional crashes.