Mr. Zelensky denies that Ukraine lost in Bakhmut

President Zelensky gave a vague answer when asked whether Ukraine still held Bakhmut, his spokesman later said that Russia did not control the city.

"I think not," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Japan today, when asked whether his forces still controlled Bakhmut and whether Russia had captured the city.

"There is nothing left. They destroyed everything. There are no buildings left. It's a pity, it's a tragedy. Now Bakhmut is only in our hearts," Mr Zelensky added.

Following Mr Zelensky's response, a number of media outlets reported that he appeared to confirm that Ukraine had lost Bakhmut. However, Ukrainian President Sergiy Nykyforov's spokesman later said Mr Zelensky's response implied "refuting the information that Bakhmut had been captured".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 21. Photo: Reuters — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Hiroshima, Japan, May 21. Photo: *Reuters*

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin declared full control of Bakhmut on May 20, announcing that Wagner units would withdraw from the city from May 25 and hand over the area to regular Russian forces.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed Wagner's statement on May 21, and Putin sent his congratulations to Wagner and the Russian military. The Ukrainian armed forces rejected the statement, saying that fighting was still going on despite the difficult situation.

The battle for Bakhmut is considered the fiercest and longest in the conflict in Ukraine, as both Moscow and Kiev focus their efforts on controlling the city that once had a population of 70,000 in Donetsk province.

Ukraine sees Bakhmut as key to containing Russian forces in the Donbass region and preventing them from advancing further west. Russia, meanwhile, believes that holding Bakhmut will allow it to push deeper into enemy lines.

President Zelensky is in Hiroshima, Japan, attending the G7 summit and holding bilateral meetings with world leaders. When meeting with Mr. Zelensky today, US President Joe Biden announced a new arms package for Kiev worth $375 million, including ammunition, artillery and armored vehicles.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on the same day that the country will begin training Ukrainian pilots this summer, to help them increase their ability to deal with the Russian air force.