Bakhmut Pullout, Jobs Upswing, and Why We Have Crooked Teeth

Wagner Group Threatens Pullout

The head of a mercenary group leading Russia's fight in eastern Ukraine said yesterday its fighters will withdraw from the embattled town of Bakhmut next week after allegedly struggling to secure ammunition from military chiefs. The announcement from Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, who leads the Wagner Group, comes ahead of Russia's World War II Victory Day May 9 and amid Ukraine's preparations for a counteroffensive. 

The Wagner Group is a private mercenary force (see overview), which has been leading the monthslong battle to take control of Bakhmut. Prigozhin said he would hand over fighting in the region to Russia's army Wednesday. Analysts have described the battle for Bakhmut as more symbolic than strategic and say it's unclear whether Prigozhin's announcement is considered a serious declaration of intent or an empty threat. The US has said nearly half of the estimated 20,000 Russian troops killed in Ukraine since December were Wagner fighters in Bakhmut. 

See a current map of occupied territory here. 

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