Around 6,000 mercenaries from the Wagner Group are fighting in Bakhmut, the linchpin of the war between Ukraine and Russia in recent weeks. The data was provided to Congress by the head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley: “The Russians are conducting combat operations, particularly in Bakhmut. That’s probably around 6,000 full-fledged mercenaries and maybe another 20 or 30,000 recruits, many of whom come from prisons. And they suffer great losses in the Bakhmut area. The Ukrainians inflict death and destruction on these men. The battle for the city turned into a massacre for the Russians. The Ukrainians are building a very effective defense that has proved costly for the Russians. The Russians have made no progress at Bakhmut in the last 21 days.” Milley’s words were spoken alongside US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin before the House Armed Services Committee.
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