Ukraine war in the blog | Prigozhin is supposed to receive ammunition supplies from Moscow after all

Day 437 since the start of the war: Experts predict gloomy times for Russia’s economy. The Wagner boss is now supposedly getting help from the Kremlin. All information in the blog.

1.30 p.m.: According to Ukrainian estimates, the Russian military is currently not in a position to conduct major offensive operations. “Today, Russia does not have the potential, militarily, economically or politically, to launch another attempt at a serious offensive anywhere in Ukraine,” Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview published on Yahoo News on Saturday evening (local time). However, Russia is still strong enough to organize the defense of the occupied territories.

“That’s the problem we’re facing right now,” he said, referring to the upcoming Ukrainian counter-offensive. He reiterated Kiev’s goal of recapturing the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia has annexed since 2014, “because our victory is not possible without the liberation of Crimea.”

Budanov also stated that Russia’s missile stocks were nearing the end. Moscow has stockpiled some missiles to respond to Ukraine’s offensive, “but the truth is that they have reduced their stockpiles to almost zero,” he said. The statements cannot be verified independently. According to the editors, the interview that has now been published took place on April 24th. Since then, there have been several Russian rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities – albeit not to the same extent as in autumn and winter, when Moscow tried to paralyze the neighboring country’s energy grid.

12:25 p.m.: After the announcement of their withdrawal from the embattled Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the Russian mercenary group Wagner claims to be receiving the ammunition and reinforcements it needs from Moscow. “We were promised as much ammunition and weapons as necessary to continue the fighting,” said the head of the Wagner troupe, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Sunday on the telegram channel of his press service. In addition, he was assured flank protection so that his units did not run the risk of being surrounded. Moscow initially did not comment on this.

General Sergei Surovikin is responsible for coordinating the mercenaries with the regular units – “the only person with a general’s star who knows anything about fighting,” said Prigozhin.

In the past, Prigozhin had repeatedly blamed the Russian Ministry of Defense for the heavy losses suffered by his mercenary force in Bakhmut. Due to a lack of artillery ammunition, the losses during the storming of the city were five times as high as necessary, he said. That is why he recently announced the withdrawal of his units from May 10th. During the night he had justified the decision with the imminent danger that his troops would be crushed. He claimed that 50,000 Ukrainians died in the Battle of Bakhmut, but at the same time admitted “tens of thousands” of dead and wounded on his own side.

11:28 am: According to Russian information, a drone attack was repelled in Sevastopol on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula in the night. “Anti-aircraft and electronic warfare units repelled another attack on the city,” Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Rasvozhayev, appointed by Russia, told Telegram on Sunday.

Ukraine fired more than 10 drones at the city, he added. Two drones were shot down over the sea and another crashed into a forest after losing control. “No infrastructure in the city was damaged,” Rasvozhayev said. The Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed in the port city of Sevastopol. The information could not be independently verified.