Ukraine claims to strike Russian Wagner mercenary headquarters in east

As the brutal war in Eastern Europe is still continuing without any cessation, Ukraine claimed on Monday that it has successfully hit the Wagner Group's headquarters, an elite paramilitary group operating in Russia that is supporting the Kremlin in the conflict. However, as per a BBC report, it is unclear how much damage has been done to the group's military installation, which has been connected to war crimes. Speaking about the incident, the governor of Luhansk asserted that a Russian journalist exposed the group's whereabouts after sharing its address. A picture of the base which also displays its address was released on Telegram last week by pro-Kremlin journalist Sergei Sreda, BBC reported.  

The governor of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, Serhiy Haidai stated that the base was "destroyed by a precision strike," after its location was discovered "thanks to a Russian journalist," The Guardian reported.  

According to the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda, a Kremlin military journalist visited the mercenary's headquarters on August 8 and shared a picture of the location on Telegram. A street sign in Popasna, Luhansk can be seen in the top left corner of the photograph, which was uploaded on the social media platform but has since been removed. It also shows five people in military dress. 

Russian paramilitary organisation drove Ukrainian troops out of Crimea in 2014

Western intelligence services established a connection between the paramilitary organisation and Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prior to the Ukrainian strike, Prigozhin was reportedly at the base. Although the Kremlin does not recognise Wagner's existence, Western intelligence has connected the organisation to Yevgeny Prigozhin, also known as "Putin's chef" 

It is pertinent to mention that in the year 2014, when forces supported by the Kremlin drove Ukrainian troops out of Crimea and the Donbas region of Ukraine, they subsequently proclaimed to be a part of Russia, and the Wagner group was sent to the regions. Additionally, Wagner units were dispatched to Mali, Libya, Syria, and the Central African Republic, BBC reported.  

Wagner is recognised as a private military company or PMC. However, according to Western experts, they are state-sponsored mercenaries who serve the objectives of the Kremlin. They have been charged with several war crimes and violations of human rights. 

Meanwhile, Russian forces are in control of the city of Melitopol, according to Ukrainian authorities, who said saboteurs destroyed a railway bridge there. Ivan Fyodorov, the mayor of Melitopol, stated on Telegram that the attack will result in "a complete absence of military trains from Crimea." 

Besides this, three individuals have lost their lives while swimming in Odesa on the Black Sea due to the explosion of "an unidentified explosive device," according to Sergiy Brachuk, a representative for the local authorities. At least one person was killed and six others were injured by the Russian bombardment of Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, earlier on Monday, according to senior police officer Sergiy Bolvinov. 

(Image: AP)