Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed that the group, who have been at the front of Moscow's assault on eastern and southern Ukraine, are losing "considerable strength" amid the fight for Bakhmut.
The Ukrainian military also claimed 1,020 Russian troops had been killed in the past 24 hours after unsuccessful attacks on Lyman, Avdiivka, Marinka and Shakhtarsk.
Mr Syrskyi said his forces would soon begin a counteroffensive after withstanding Russia's winter campaign.
Saying the mercenaries are "losing considerable strength and running out of steam," he added: "Very soon, we will take advantage of this opportunity, as we did in the past near Kyiv, Kharkiv, Balakliya and Kupiansk," listing Ukrainian counteroffensives last year that recaptured swathes of land.
Russian forces have for months been trying to capture Bakhmut as they seek to extend their control over eastern Ukraine.
This story is from the March 25, 2023 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the March 25, 2023 edition of The Independent.
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