(Reuters) -The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group said on Thursday that his forces' flanks were under pressure near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, resulting in the loss of ground that his men had captured at heavy cost.
Yevgeny Prigozhin has argued that it is the job of regular Russian forces to protect Wagner's flanks near Bakhmut, the city at the centre of the longest and bloodiest battle of the war.
"The situation on the flanks is developing according to the worst predicted scenario," Prigozhin said in an audio message.
"All the territories that were taken with the blood and lives of our comrades over many months, advancing tens or hundreds of metres a day, are now being thrown away practically without a fight by those who should be holding our flanks."
Russia's defence ministry said earlier that its paratroopers were supporting an advance on the west of the city and had pinned down Ukrainian army units on the flanks.
Prigozhin said his fighters were 625 metres (680 yards) from the western outskirts of the city.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield situation.
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Prigozhin is waging a running feud with Russian defence chiefs whom he accuses of failing to give him sufficient support and ammunition. Last week he threatened to pull his men out of Bakhmut unless Moscow provided what he needed.
In an earlier message on Thursday Prigozhin said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was "being deceptive" when he said Ukraine's anticipated counteroffensive had been delayed because it was waiting for more aid from foreign countries.
He said the counteroffensive was actually going ahead at full speed around Bakhmut and that Ukrainian operations were proving to be "unfortunately, partially successful".
On Wednesday, both Prigozhin and the Ukrainian military said that Kyiv's forces had routed a Russian army unit near Bakhmut, in a significant advance for Ukraine.
Russia's defence ministry made no reference to the claimed setback in its daily briefing on Thursday, and said troops were continuing to advance.
In a statement on Wednesday, Prigozhin said Bakhmut had "no strategic importance" but the point of attacking it was to "build up offensive potential, grind the enemy's manpower and enable the Russian army to mobilise" after major retreats by Russian troops late last year.
(Reporting by Reuters; writing by Mark TrevelyanEditing by Gareth Jones)