Just recently, the Wagner boss threatened the Kremlin with withdrawing from the embattled Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Then came the promise of ammunition supplies. But it seems to be running slowly.
The Russian mercenary group Wagner says it has not yet received the ammunition promised by the Russian Ministry of Defense for the front in eastern Ukraine.
Overall, only half of the requested positions were approved and only a fraction of the amount of ammunition requested, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin complained in a video that his press service published on Telegram on Tuesday morning. At the same time, the traditional military parade marking the 78th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany took place in Moscow.
“The day of victory is the day of our grandfathers’ victory. We haven’t deserved this victory by a millimeter,” said Prigozhin, referring to the event.
Focus Bachmut
The Wagner mercenaries are fighting in the Russian war of aggression for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which has been going on for more than 14 months and has become the focus of the war in Ukraine. The city, in which a good 70,000 people lived before the war, has now been almost completely destroyed.
According to their own statements, the Wagner troops have now taken about 95 percent of the city area under their control with heavy losses, but Ukrainian defenders are still entrenched in the western part of Bakhmut.
A few days ago, Prigozhin threatened the Kremlin with the withdrawal of its units from Bakhmut by Wednesday because of the high losses and lack of ammunition. Shortly thereafter, he declared that he had been assured of sufficient artillery shells. Now he complained that the promise had not yet been kept.
The front is crumbling
The 61-year-old also warned against the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive. According to him, the front in Bachmut is already crumbling on the flanks. But his men would stay in Bachmut for a few more days, he announced. “We’ll fight and then we’ll see what’s next,” he said.
He also sent threatening-sounding words to Moscow. The main enemy is not only the Ukrainian armed forces, but bureaucrats in Moscow. Elsewhere, he even said: “A happy grandpa thinks everything is fine. But what is the country to do when that grandpa turns out to be a complete idiot.” Although it is unclear who exactly this quote refers to, speculation has been raised as to whether Prigozhin could have meant President Vladimir Putin, whose confidant he is actually considered to be.
Source: Stern
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