Russian private army Wagner claims over 20,000 troops died in Bakhmut battle.

The head of the Russian private army Wagner claims that over 20,000 of his troops died in the battle for Bakhmut, with half of them being Russian convicts recruited to fight in the 15-month-old war. This figure is in stark contrast to Moscow's claims of just over 6,000 of its troops being killed throughout the war. Analysts believe the nine-month fight for Bakhmut alone has killed tens of thousands of soldiers, among them Russian convicts who reportedly received little training before being sent to the front. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin also said Russia's invasion goal of "demilitarizing" Ukraine has backfired because Kyiv's military has become stronger with the supply of weapons and training by its Western allies.