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The head of Russia's private military company Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said Ukrainian forces had regained control of the village of Berkhovka, located north of Bakhmut, calling it a "disgrace".

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Last month, Wagner mercenaries captured Bahmut after the longest-running battle since the start of the war in Ukraine and handed over their positions to the regular Russian army. However, Ukrainian forces continue to attack areas near the city, the agency said.

"Now part of the village of Berhovka is already lost, the troops are quietly fleeing. Shame!", Prigozhin said in an audio address published by his press service.

He also called on Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov to come to the front to mobilize troops.

Prigozhin doesn't want to be dependent on "clowns"

"Come, you can do it!" he said, referring to the fact that if the two came to the front, Russian forces would be mobilized. "And if you can't (mobilize them - ber. You will die as heroes," he added.

Prigozhin has been in an open feud with Shoigu and Gerasimov for months, often accusing them of failing to provide enough ammunition and support for Wagner and thus causing unnecessarily large losses.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Wagner

Bahmut

Yevgeny Prigozhin