Wagner Group mercenaries have begun their retreat from the embattled city of Bakhmut, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian paramilitary outfit’s chief said, writes Newsweek.

He made the announcement in a video on his press service’s Telegram channel. He said his troops will completely withdraw from Bakhmut by June 1 and give way to regular Russian units.

“We’ll hand over positions, ammunition, everything including dry rations, to [Russian] troops”, - he said.

Prigozhin’s fighters have been involved in the bloody battle for Bakhmut since the summer of 2022. Their withdrawal comes after he released multiple heated videos aimed at Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, criticising them for their failure to provide more ammunition for his fighters.