The Russian private military company Wagner is about to be destroyed in the Bakhmut sector, while the Ukrainian army is gradually pushing the enemy out on the flanks, the spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Serhiy Cherevatyy, said on 22 May, according to FREEDOM TV.
He suggested that the head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, wants to leave on a "high note" because he allegedly took Bakhmut and can now lead his mercenaries to regroup.
"I believe in his desire to leave the area because I see daily reports, I know their losses and I know that they are not receiving any more replenishment from prisons," Cherevatyy said.
He added that over the past few days, the Ukrainian Defence Forces had advanced 700 metres in the Bakhmut sector.
"We don't have an upper hand in terms of forces and means in this area, but we have motivation, non-standard actions, and asymmetry. We believe in active defence. Although the enemy has deployed some new units, they are all poorly motivated and do not know the terrain. We take advantage of this and attack whenever possible," he said.
Cherevatyy said that over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian defenders had advanced 250-400 metres on the flanks and consolidated their positions.
According to Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar, the Ukrainian Armed Forces control the southwestern part of Bakhmut, the area of the Litak neighbourhood and the entrance to the city. Fighting for the flanks continues.