Russia Ukraine war latest news today live: Wagner chief warns Putin his troops will leave Bakhmut

Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Russia‘s Wagner Group mercenary force, said in a sudden and dramatic announcement on Friday that his forces would leave the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut that they have been trying to capture since last summer.

Prigozhin said they would leave on May 10 because of heavy losses and inadequate ammunition supplies.

“I declare on behalf of the Wagner fighters, on behalf of the Wagner command, that on May 10, 2023, we are obliged to transfer positions in the settlement of Bakhmut to units of the defence ministry and withdraw the remains of Wagner to logistics camps to lick our wounds,” Prigozhin said in a statement.

“I’m drawing Wagner systems out of Bakhmut since in the lack of ammo they’re destined die senselessly.”

Wagner has actually been pioneering Russia‘s attempt to capture Bakhmut since last summer, in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war in Ukraine.

It was not clear if Prigozhin’s declaration can be trusted, as he has actually often uploaded spontaneous remarks in the past. Only recently he took out one declaration he claimed he had actually made as a “joke”.

His latest one adhered to an expletive-filled video clip released early Friday in which Prigozhin, bordered by loads of remains he claimed were Wagner boxers, screamed as well as promised at Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as well as Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. He claimed they were responsible for Wagner’s losses since they had actually deprived it of ammo.

Ukraine’s very first girl Olena Zelenska as well as head of state Denys Shmyhal that got here in England for the crowning said thanks to the King for his uniformity with the nation.

The set was organized by King Charles as well as various other royals together with various other presidents from all over the world at a Buckingham Palace function on the eve of the crowning.

King Charles used Ukraine his “unwavering support” when he fulfilled Ukrainian leaders.

Mr Shmyhal claimed on Twitter: “It is a special honour to attend the reception of His Majesty King Charles III ahead of coronation.

“We got guarantees from His Majesty that (Ukrainian) individuals will have steadfast assistance till the last success. Grateful for the uniformity.”

In March, King Charles visited Berlin where he met with Ukrainians who had been forced to flee the country.

He told them “I’m wishing you” after condemning the “unthinkable suffering” caused by Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of their homeland.

The owner of Russia’s Wagner Group military contractor threatened Friday to pull his troops out of the protracted battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut next week, accusing Russia’s military command of starving his forces of ammunition and causing them heavy losses.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a notorious millionaire with longtime links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed that Wagner had planned to capture Bakhmut by May 9. That day is a major Russian holiday marking the defeat of the Nazi Germany in World War II.

But, Prigozhin said, his force hasn’t received enough artillery ammunition supplies from the Russian military since Monday. Known for his bluster, Prigozhin has previously made unverifiable claims and made threats he hasn’t carried out.

“Wagner ran out of resources to advance in early April, but we’re advancing despite the fact that the enemy’s resources outnumber ours fivefold,” Prigozhin’s statement said. “Because of the lack of ammunition, our losses are growing exponentially every day.”

The Wagner Group has spearheaded the struggle for control of Bakhmut, which is the longest — and likely bloodiest — battle of the war. The more than eight months of fighting there is believed to have cost thousands of lives, though neither side is saying how many.

A Ukrainian leader assaulted a Russian delegate who ripped Ukraine’s national flag out of his hands during a summit in Ankara on Thursday, according to reports.

Ukrainian leader Oleksandr Marikovski was seen unfurling the national flag of his country as Russian delegate Olga Timofeeva was being interviewed.

On seeing this, the Russian team member Valery Stavitsky was seen approaching Mr Marikovski and ripping the flag out of his hands.

The two delegates had gathered at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

As the Russian delegate walked away, the Ukrainian MP charged at him and landed a couple of blows as other people present at the venue tried to intervene.

Ukraine has fought back courageously against Mr Putin’s warped bid to restore territory lost to Moscow with the collapse of the Soviet Union and has continued to defy the odds by defending itself against Russian onslaughts with the help of Western military aid.

Battle tanks from the US, Britain and Germany are now being supplied for the first time and Mr Zelensky toured London, Paris and Brussels in early February 2023 to request fighter jets be sent as well in order to counter the Russian aerial threat, a step the allies appear to have reservations about making, although Joe Biden has since visited Kyiv in a gesture of solidarity.

The war in Ukraine is a “warning shot” for the possibility of a future with energy shortages, the new chair of the Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committee has said.

SNP MP Angus MacNeil has been elected as chairman of the cross-party committee of MPs tasked with scrutinising the work of the new Government department of the same name.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr MacNeil was critical of what he described as a lack of investment in energy security during the austerity agenda, followed by a lack of focus during the years of Brexit wrangling, and highlighted the importance of renewable energy for future supplies.

Soldiers from the International Legion of Ukraine said farewell Friday to an American military veteran they served with, who was killed a month ago in the fierce struggle to prevent the eastern city of Bakhmut from falling into Russian hands.

In a funeral service at Kyiv‘s St. Michael’s Cathedral, Ukrainian regular army troops bore the Ukrainian-flag-draped coffin of Chris Campbell while about three dozen members of the International Legion looked on.

After folding the flag, they presented it to Ivanna Sanina, Campbell’s Ukrainian wife.

The Florida native is one of least nine Americans now known to have been killed in fighting in Ukraine, including another last month in Bakhmut. Two Canadian volunteers were also killed there April 26 after Russian artillery hit their position.

The struggle for Bakhmut, located about 55 kilometres (34 miles) north of the Russian-held regional capital of Donetsk, has been one of the bloodiest of the war. It has now been going on for more than eight months.

“We all want to see a different Vladimir here in The Hague, the one who deserves to be sanctioned for his criminal actions here, in the capital of international law,” the Ukrainian president said, referring to the Russian leader. “The aggressor must feel the full power of justice. This is our historical responsibility.” Mr Zelensky added that he was sure “we will see that happen when we win… and we will win”.

In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Mr Putin over the suspected deportation of children from Ukraine, which is a war crime. Russia, not a member of the ICC, has called the charges meaningless but the warrant does make Mr Putin’s foreign trips more difficult – with nations signed up to the court obliged to obey.

My colleague Chris Stevenson reports:

The King has hosted heads of state from around the world at a Buckingham Palace reception on the eve of the coronation.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence also greeted their overseas guests at the event.

Completing the royal contingent were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

The event was the last of several engagements by the royals on Friday.

Among the guests was First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, who was seen speaking animatedly with Kate.

Meanwhile, Charles was photographed sharing warm words with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, and greeting Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, with a handshake and a kiss on the cheek.

Other dignitaries at the event included King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, the President of Israel Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration plans to send $500 million worth of weapons aid to Taiwan using the same emergency authority that has been used more than 35 times for Ukraine, a source familiar with the plan said on Friday.

As a part of the 2023 budget, Congress authorised up to $1 billion worth of weapons aid for Taiwan using Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), a type of authority that expedites security assistance and has helped to send arms to Ukraine.

This drawdown, which authorises the president to transfer articles and services from U.S. stockpiles without congressional approval during an emergency, would be the first from that $1 billion authorisation.

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military pressure on the island over the past three years. It has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.