OUR Evgeny Prigozhin he said he was joking when he said his people would stop bombing Bahamut artillery fire to allow Ukrainian forces on the other side of the front line to safely show the city to visiting American journalists.

OUR Wagner has been at the forefront of the Russian offensive on Bakhmut since last summer. The battle there is the longest and bloodiest of the entire war, but Ukrainian forces still thwart Russian attempts to capture the entire city.

The head and founder of Wagner, Prigozhin, said in an audio message released earlier today by his press office: “A decision has been made to suspend artillery fire so that American journalists can safely remove Bahamut and return home.” In the same message, Prigozhin warns the Ukrainian side against attempts to bring in additional forces under the guise of a visit by journalists.

However, in a later audio message, he said, “Guys, that was an army joke. Humor and nothing more … It was a joke.

Reuters