 Yevgeny Prigazin, 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 Bakhmat that they have been trying to capture since last summer. Prigazin 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 Bakhmat to units of the Defense Ministry and withdraw the remains of Wagner to logistics camps to lick our wounds, Prigazin said in a statement. Wagner has been spearheading Russia's attempt to capture Bakhmat since last summer, in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war in Ukraine. The battle for Bakhmat has symbolic importance for both sides, with Ukraine still holding on to some parts of the city after months of fierce fighting against regular Russian troops and the Wagner mercenary force.