Vladimir Putin on Sunday congratulated Wagner’s mercenaries and the Russian army for capturing the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, using the city’s Soviet name Artemivsk, Reuters reported.

In a statement posted on the Kremlin’s website, Putin said the battle – the longest and bloodiest of the 15-month war – had ended in a Russian victory and that those who distinguished themselves in it on Moscow’s side would receive state awards.

“The head of the state congratulated the airborne assault groups of the “Wagner” military command center, as well as all members of the units of the Russian Armed Forces, who provided them with the necessary support and cover from the flanks, on the completion of the operation to liberate the city of Artemivsk (Bakhmut). )”, the message says.

“All those who distinguished themselves will be awarded state medals,” he added.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi appeared to confirm the loss of Bakhmut to Japan on Sunday, but a spokesman for the Ukrainian president said he had been misunderstood.

“Journalist’s question: Russians said they conquered Bakhmut. The president’s answer: I think not,” Serhii Nikiforov wrote on Facebook and added in Ukrainian: “Thus the president denied the capture of Bakhmut.”

The leader of Wagner’s mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced on Saturday that Russian troops are in full control of the city of Bakhmut.

The spokesman of the Ukrainian army, Serhiy Chervatiy, categorically denied this information: “This is not true. Our units are fighting near Bakhmut.”