(Dan Tri) – Leader of private military corporation Yevgeny Prigozhin said he is not sure whether their forces will continue to fight in Ukraine after disagreements with the Russian military.
Leader of the private military corporation Yevgeny Prigozhin (center) (Photo: Reuters).
`Regarding the further work of the private military company Wagner in Ukraine, I am not sure that we will continue to operate in Ukraine,` Mr. Prigozhin responded to Danish media on June 13.
It is unclear at this time the seriousness of this comment by Wagner’s leader.
Despite suffering great losses, Wagner also proved to be one of Russia’s most effective forces in the Ukrainian battlefield, especially in the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Last month, boss Wagner suddenly announced a withdrawal from this front to give his forces time to rest and regroup after months of fierce fighting at Bakhmut.
Boss Wagner accused the Russian army of not fully meeting its weapons needs, causing great losses to its forces.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu last weekend signed a decree requiring all `volunteer troops` to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense before July 1.
`This will provide volunteer units with the necessary legal status, creating unified approaches to comprehensive supply organization and fulfillment of their tasks,` the Russian Defense Ministry said.
According to observers, this move seems to be aimed at increasing the effectiveness of Russian forces participating in the military campaign in Ukraine as well as strengthening control over Wagner.
However, Mr. Prigozhin immediately announced that Wagner would not sign any contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Moscow did not publicly comment on boss Wagner’s reaction, but the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Zvezda TV channel said on June 13 that 3 unnamed volunteer brigades and 4 volunteer units had signed a contract.
The Russian Ministry of Defense also said that it had signed a contract with Chechnya’s Akhmat special forces group.
The above moves take place in the context of Russia seeking to strengthen its defense forces against Ukraine’s counterattacks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Kiev’s counterattack campaign had `catastrophically failed`.
According to Mr. Putin, Ukraine lost about 160 tanks and 360 armored vehicles.
Mr. Putin also admitted that Russian forces participating in the military campaign in Ukraine are lacking military equipment.