Russian oligarchs, said to be the founders of the private military company Wagner Group, “mostly act as media personalities,” said Andriy Usov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Service. said on national television. January 29th.
Also read: Wagner financier Prigogine launches campaign aimed at drawing anti-corruption crusade
“Prigozin Reserve has a media and political role. He does not run (Wagner’s) combat units or the General Staff,” Usov said.
Yusov also stressed that Prigozhin is primarily responsible for funding Russian mercenaries.
Nicknamed “Putin’s Chef” because his company allegedly provided catering services to the Kremlin regime of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin openly criticized the poor performance of the Russian regular army during the invasion of Ukraine. have criticized.
Also read: US declares Wagner PMC crime syndicate.
This allegedly brought him into conflict with the Russian regular army and its leadership, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian Chief of the General Staff and First Minister of Defense General Valery Gerasimov.
A video also appeared in which Prigozhin tours Russian prisons, signing inmates as mercenaries and offering them freedom if they see six months in prison.
The Ukrainian military says Wagner’s mercenaries suffered heavy casualties during attacks on the Ukrainian towns of Soledar and Bakhmut in Donetsk province, as waves of poorly trained and equipped prisoners attacked Ukrainian defenses. It is sent to
The New York Times reported on January 24 that of the 50,000 Wagner mercenaries dispatched to Ukraine, only 10,000 remained, the rest dead, wounded, captured or missing.
Also read: 10,000 out of 50,000 Wagner Group mercenaries remain on the front lines – Mass Media
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