The Russian Invasion

Wagner claims control of Bachmut – Ukraine denies  

Russian Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claims in a video that Russia has full control over the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, reports Reuters. He further states that Wagner is to begin handing over control of the city to the Russian army on May 25.  

A spokesman for Ukraine's military, Serhii Cherevaty, completely denies the reports.  

- It's not true. Our troops continue to fight in Bachmut, he says.  

Prigozhin's information could not be confirmed by independent sources. Max Seddon, who is the Financial Times' Russia correspondent, writes that one should take the statement with "a pinch of salt".  

In recent weeks, Ukraine has claimed several successes in Bakhmut, and it has been stated that it has pushed Russia back several kilometers. This information has been partially confirmed by Yevgeny Prigozhin.  

soldiers outside Bachmut. LIBKOS / AP  

The Russian Invasion|The Battles Ukrainian 

Expert: Ukraine may have made strategic retreat  

The fact that Russian Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin states that they have taken control of Bachmut may in fact be about a strategic retreat by Ukraine before the upcoming offensive. This is what lieutenant colonel Johan Huovinen tells TT. 

- They usually say that the best response to an attack is a counterattack, he says. 

However, he says that one should meet Prigozhin's statement with "a certain skepticism", given that he has made similar statements in the past that have not proven to be true. 

 - But it is also not improbable that it is actually true. My colleagues at the Norwegian Defense Academy have said that Wagner has advanced into the city center itself, and that may be what has happened, he says.  

Ukraine has denied Prigozhin's claims and says fighting in the city continues.

 

Aleksandr Grushko/F-16. AP  

 

Russia: Colossal risk for West to send F-16  

 

Western countries expose themselves to a "colossal risk" if they send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. That's what Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko says, according to state-run Tass, Reuters reports. 

 

- We see that the West is still sticking to the escalation scenario, he says.  

 

Grushko does not specify in more detail what countermeasures Russia is threatening with.  

 

On Friday, US President Joe Biden announced that he is giving the green light to Western countries that want to deliver the American-made planes to Ukraine. The decision is hailed as "historic" by Ukrainian President Zelensky.

 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Lula da Silva AP  

Russian invasion|G7 meeting in Japan 

Brazil calls Zelensky's participation at G7 a "trap" 

The fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has appeared at the G7 meeting in Japan has put Brazilian President Lula da Silva in a difficult position, Bloomberg reports, citing sources.  

Lula has tried to stay neutral on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and last month said the US must "stop encouraging war and start focusing on peace". 

Zelensky's participation in the meeting was not announced in advance and members of the Brazilian delegation describe his participation as a "trap".  

The delegation says Lula feels pressured to hold a one-on-one meeting with Zelensky, especially after French President Emmanuel Macron called for it. Lula's staff has not responded to whether the meeting will take place.