After his sharp criticism of the supply by the Russian army, the head of the Russian mercenary force Wagner announced that ammunition would soon be delivered to his fighters in the Ukraine.
“Today at 6:00 a.m. they announced that the delivery of ammunition would begin,” said Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to a statement circulated on online networks on Thursday. The “most important papers” have already been signed. “Most likely the ball is rolling now.”
Prigozhin on Tuesday accused Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of committing “high treason” by failing to deliver equipment demanded by the mercenaries. There is a “frontal opposition” against his troops in the military leadership, which is “nothing less than an attempt to destroy Wagner,” said Prigozhin.
On Wednesday, in an unusual move, he called on his compatriots to support his demand for ammunition and to put pressure on the army.
There are enough projectiles, “but career-seeking politicians, scumbags, bastards have to sign first” so that they would be delivered, Prigozhin scolded in an audio message.
Wagner mercenaries fight in Bachmut
On Thursday, Prigozhin thanked everyone “who exerted pressure and made decisions” – “even at the highest level”. The delivery of ammunition will save the lives of “hundreds, if not thousands” of people who “defend their fatherland” in Ukraine, said the Wagner boss.
The unprecedented call by the Wagner boss was taken as further evidence of the extent of the tensions between the mercenary force and the Russian general staff.
Among other things, the Wagner units have been deployed for months in the bitter battle for Bakhmut and act largely independently of the Russian military command. (AFP/Reuters)
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