In a sense, Russia has achieved its intended goals, says Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. One of his blog posts attracts attention.
The head of the notorious Russian mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigoshin, has caused a stir with a text about a possible end to the war in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian media in particular referred to a blog entry by the 61-year-old over the weekend, which said: “Today it is necessary for the state power and for society to put some fat point behind the special military operation.” More than a year later, circles loyal to the Kremlin in Russia still refer to the war as a “special military operation.”
Prigozhin went on to write in the text published on Friday: “The ideal variant would be to announce the end of the military special operation and to declare that Russia has achieved all its planned goals – and in some respects we have actually achieved them. ” And: “For Russia there is always a risk that the situation at the front could deteriorate after the start of the (Ukrainian) counter-offensive.” Experts expect a Ukrainian offensive in the coming weeks.
The only option at the moment is to “get stuck” in the occupied territories, said Prigozhin. However, this would mean a retreat from the Kremlin’s actual war aims. Among other things, these provide for the complete conquest of the four Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Cherson, which Russia illegally annexed last year.
Prigozhin threatens Ukrainian army
At the same time, however, Prigozhin, whose mercenaries are currently fighting primarily for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, spoke out against any negotiations that would provide for the cession of Russian-occupied territories to Ukraine. Contrary to his previous words, he also wrote that the fighting must continue – and threatened the Ukrainian army: “See you in Bakhmut.”
Later he had his press service comment on the first media reports that addressed his alleged demand for an end to the war. The main message of his article was that there must be an “honest fight,” he clarified.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The attacked country has named the withdrawal of all Russian troops from its territory and the reconquest of all occupied territories as one of the conditions for ending the war.
