Head of Wagner group claims Russian flag 'hoisted' over Bakhmut administration building

The head of the Wagner mercenary group has claimed that its forces "hoisted" the Russian flag over the administrative building of the city of Bakhmut.

“April 2, 2023, 23:00 (2000GMT). We hoisted the Russian flag with the inscription ‘Good memory to Vladlen Tatarsky’ and the flag of PMC ‘Wagner’ on the city administration of Bakhmut. From a legal point of view, Bakhmut is taken. The enemy is concentrated in the western regions," Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed in an audio statement on Telegram late Sunday.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry claimed in a statement early Monday that Russian forces have been trying to storm Bakhmut, with Ukrainian forces in the region repelling more than 20 attacks, including in the direction of the village of Ivanivske.