Bakhmut: The Bloody Aftermath of Russia's War in Ukraine

Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group, scored a major political victory by capturing the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine. He criticized Russian leadership throughout the battle and is believed to be setting himself up as a populist leader critical of Russian elites, possibly with the aim of one day replacing President Putin. Prigozhin's ambition could make him a danger to Putin, but he could also reap huge rewards from the war, politically or financially. Wagner's contribution to the victory was significant in terms of manpower, but the cost of their tactics has been huge, with many operatives lost.