The Wagner group has been helping the Russian military in recent months to take the Ukrainian city of Bachmut, which fell after nine months last month. A few days after the capture, the mercenary army handed the city over to Russian forces to recover.
“I’m not sure we will do anything in Ukraine”
So Prigozhin has now indicated that it may be the last time his troops will operate in Ukraine. “I’m not sure we’ll do anything in Ukraine,” he allegedly said. In the past, Wagner Group has operated in Africa and the Middle East, among others, where some contracts are still ongoing.
Rejection of the contract
The statements come days after it was announced that the Russian Defense Ministry has signed a contract with the Akhmat division of the Chechen special forces, something Prigozhin and Wagner Group have refused to do. The signing followed an order that all “volunteer units” sign contracts by July 1 that would place them under the control of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Moscow is trying to assert its control over private armies fighting in Ukraine on Moscow’s behalf. Prigozhin, who has a feud with the defense ministry and constantly accuses it of withholding ammunition from Wagner’s troops, said yesterday he would not sign.
Withdraw
In early May, Prigozhin threatened to withdraw his mercenaries from Bachmut over Russia’s lack of ammunition following earlier public clashes with Moscow.
Bachmut was the scene of the fiercest battle between the armies of Ukraine and Russia since the Russian invasion began in late February last year. Many were killed on both sides. Bachmoet had about 70,000 inhabitants before the invasion, but is now an abandoned city in ruins.