Things rumble between the top of the Russian military and the Wagner Group’s mercenary army. According to the Wagner soldiers, too few weapons are delivered, which is life-threatening. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the powerful leader of the mercenary army, says he’s behind his men.
The dispute emerged via images on Telegram, where Wagner soldiers reprimanded a Russian general accusing him of not supplying enough weapons. Not only the Wagner group suffers from a shortage of weapons, it affects the entire Russian army. “Not only the supply, the logistics, but also the number of weapons is a big problem for the Russians, and now they are also suffering from it.” This can be seen, for example, in the battle around Bachmoet. “Even Wagner fails to take the city,” says Russia correspondent Joost Bosman.
Autonomous part of the Russian Army
According to Bosman, the Wagner Group is seen as a private army, but only because it uses mercenaries. “Weapons, tanks and aircraft are supplied by Russia, which means that the Wagner Group is actually an autonomous part of the Russian military.”
Past conflicts
The quarrel comes as no surprise, previously there had been disagreement between Wagner’s leader Prigozhin and the military. “He’s already had several fights with the Secretary of Defense.”
In Russian state media, Wagner’s mercenaries, often former criminals, are seen as an effective and professional army with soldiers who have gained extensive experience in Syria and Africa. “But the difference to the military isn’t really that big,” Bosman says.
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Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
