(Dan Tri) – The leader of the Wagner organization has called on Russia to provide his force with 200,000 more troops to block Ukraine’s counterattack in Donbass.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian private military organization Wagner, and members of the organization (Photo: Reuters).
`I need 200,000 troops. Less than 200,000 people on the front line of Lugansk – Donetsk will not be able to withstand it. We are ready to take full responsibility,` Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian private military organization Wagner, declared today.
Mr. Prigozhin said Wagner is the only private military force capable of stopping Ukraine’s counterattack.
Boss Wagner also called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to issue a nationwide mobilization order to expand forces to deal with the Ukrainian army.
`Ukrainian forces have broken through Russian defense lines in some areas,` Mr. Prigozhin admitted.
Mr. Prigozhin also criticized the Russian military for lacking management, planning, training and mutual respect.
`Now we will suffer serious losses, I am absolutely sure of this. We will definitely lose part of the controlled area,` leader Wagner declared.
Previously, Mr. Prigozhin repeatedly criticized the Russian army for not providing enough weapons for Wagner to fight in Bakhmut, causing this military force to suffer heavy losses.
On May 31, Mr. Prigozhin asked Russian prosecutors to open an investigation to find out whether the country’s senior defense officials committed violations before and during Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine.
The southern front line in Zaporizhzhia is considered one of the locations where Ukraine can easily conduct a counter-attack campaign.
`Novodonetskoye has been recaptured. And if Russian forces retreat further, 5-8 km, this will lead to an unstoppable enemy incursion,` Mr. Prigozhin said.
`We understand that at least 50% of the residents of this region will support the Ukrainian armed forces. Therefore, as soon as Ukraine advances a little deeper, they will reach Berdyansk and Mariupol, and it will be impossible to stop them
Zaporizhia is one of four Ukrainian provinces that Russia announced to annex last October after a controversial referendum.
Some Russian officials predict that the Ukrainian army is likely to counterattack in the Zaporizhia region, where Ukraine currently deploys about 65,000 soldiers.
Mr. Prigozhin last week confirmed that 99% of Wagner fighters had left the city of Bakhmut in Eastern Ukraine after handing over their positions to soldiers of the Russian army.