What is happening between Prigozhin and the military leaders?
Russia military the head of Wagner’s mercenary company with his elite Yevgeny Prigogine The recent war of words between the U.S. and Russia exposes deepening contradictions and exposes Moscow’s failures in the war in Ukraine. All this is happening in the city of Bakhmut in the Donbass at a time when heavy fighting is going on.
Prigogine recently of Russia military criticized the leadership. Before that, in the video released by Wagner mercenaries from near Bakhmut Russia Headquarters of the Armed Forces chief Valery Gerasimovhe swears Ukraine they complain about the lack of ammunition in the war against their forces.
A number of Russian media outlets and pro-war bloggers initially claimed that the video was a fake, “Ukraine dressing up the nationalists as fighters to break the resolve of the Russians video they claimed that they shot. However, on December 27, Prigozhin dispelled these ideas with the message shared by the press service of his company “Concord Management” on the Telegram channel.
“Those in the infamous video are not Ukrainian nationalists”, Prigozhin said that it was difficult to hear about the problems on the front line. “Every day you carry the bodies of your dead friends, you see them for the last time, and then you need very important supplies. As for the problems that appear at every step, we will solve them, we will force them to solve those problems.” – he stressed.
Analysts this war of words with Prigogine Russia military they see it as a sign of the deepening contradictions of the elite. The war in Ukraine brought the Wagner group and Prigogine into the international spotlight. A Russian businessman living in exile, critic of the Kremlin Mikhail Khodorkovskyjournalist of the Dossier Center located in London, funded by Denis Korotkov In recent years, he followed Prigogine’s rise and wrote several articles about Wagner’s activities.
In an interview with “Current Time”, a joint project of Freedom Radipson with the Voice of America, Korotkov said that it does not seem reasonable to distribute the video of Wagner’s mercenaries without Prigogine’s consent.
“Prigozhin is looking for his place in the new reality that has emerged after the February occupation, which has brought him into conflict with many powerful people,” – the journalist says.
Prigogine’s companies President Vladimir Putinbecause he is busy organizing dinners with foreign guests, he is also called “Putin’s chef”. The well-known oligarch was put on the United States sanctions list. In 2016, he funded the Internet Research Agency USAin the president He is accused of interfering in the election.
Wagner also played an important role in Russia’s foreign operations. In 2014 of Ukraine was involved in battles in the east, in Syria, in various African countries. The group is known for smuggling diamonds and gold, training and supplying weapons to foreign armed groups, and some murders. 2018In , three Russian reporters of the “Dossier Center” were killed while covering the activities of Wagner in the Republic of South Africa.
In the war in Ukraine, Putin is reportedly increasingly taking advantage of Wagner. It is reported that Wagner’s role has increased in Russia’s capture of Mariupol and Severodonetsk, and currently in the battles in Bakhmut.
Moreover, it is said that thousands of prisoners have been involved in this group in recent months. Prigogine in Russia prisoners videos showing that he personally preaches among them have been circulated.
Korotkov says that Prigozhy’s bloodthirsty statement arose out of frustration at the Battle of Bakhmut. Putin He personally emphasized the importance of taking the city, where both sides suffered heavy losses.
According to the journalist, Wagner is still dependent on the Russian military for ammunition and is seeing “decreasing supplies”.
“There has been talk for a long time that Bakhmut will fall into the hands of Russian forces, but there has been no progress in this direction. Prigogine does not always pick up his behavior, he can be impulsive. Here we see its beginning.” Korotkov emphasized.
At one time, the Kremlin denied any connection with a shadow organization like Wagner Ukraine During the war, Prigozhin began to take a more open position with his mercenary company. In early December, the RT state-funded media called this group of mercenaries patriots in a documentary called “PMC Wagner – Vatanle Kontrakt”. The film hints at Prigogine’s influence in the Russian elite.
According to Korotkov, at a time when there are rumors about the increase in Prigogine’s access to Putin, the oligarch should look for ways to communicate his position and convey his agenda to the Russian president.
The white house National Security Council spokesman John Corby (John Kirby) said on December 22 that Wagner bought weapons from North Korea to support Russian forces in Ukraine. Prigogine rejected this claim. However, according to Korotkov, with the battle raging at Bakhmut, the Wagner chief is trying to show his commitment to Russia’s war, while also distancing himself from any future setbacks in the battle.
“He is not a fool. He understands that the result in Bakhmut is close to one degree or another. Korotkov emphasizes.