<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Russian President Vladimir Putin late Saturday congratulated the Wagner mercenary group and the national army on their claimed capture of the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, according to a Kremlin statement quoted by Russian news agencies.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Vladimir Putin congratulated the assault units of Wagner as well as all servicemen of units of the Russian armed forces who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the completion of the operation to liberate Artemovsk (the Soviet-era name for Bakhmut)," the TASS news agency quoted the Kremlin statement as saying. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>