Zelenskyy denies Russia’s declare, says Bakhmut nonetheless in Ukraine’s palms

By Reuters: Ukraine acknowledged on Sunday that it was nonetheless combating for administration of the jap metropolis of Bakhmut, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had acknowledged earlier that city remained “only in our hearts.”

Asked sooner than a gathering with US President Joe Biden in Japan if city was nonetheless in Ukraine’s palms after the Russians acknowledged they’d seized it in its entirety, Zelenskyy suggested reporters, “I think no.”

He added: “For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts.”

Zelenskiy’s press secretary later clarified that the chief was responding to a particular part of the question.

“Reporter’s question: Russians said they have taken Bakhmut,” Sergii Nykyforov wrote on Facebook. “President’s reply: I think no.”

He added in Ukrainian: “In this way, the president denied the capture of Bakhmut.”

Russia claimed on Saturday to have completely captured the smashed jap Ukrainian metropolis, which if true would mark an end to the longest and bloodiest battle of the 15-month wrestle.

“It is tragedy,” Zelenskiy acknowledged. “There is nothing on this place.”

The assault on the largely levelled metropolis was led by troops from the Wagner Group of mercenaries, whose chief Yevgeny Prigozhin acknowledged earlier inside the day that his troops had lastly pushed the Ukrainians out of the ultimate built-up house inside city.