Wagner Group fighters withdraw from Bakhmut in Ukraine-Russia conflict

The leader of Russia's Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has said his mercenary forces will leave the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut by the end of the month and suggested the Russian Defense Ministry send its generals to hold the city. Confusion over the status of Bakhmut has intensified, with Ukrainian military leaders saying their resistance has helped limit Russia’s capabilities elsewhere and enabled Ukrainian advances. An analysis of sanctions that allowed seizure of planes belonging to wealthy Russian oligarchs indicates that many continue to fly freely around the world.