Pictured: Russian nationals recruited during partial mobilization are seen being sent to combat coordination area after the military call-up for the Russo-Ukrainian war in Moscow, Russia on October 10, 2022. (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Signs of disunity in the Russian army began to emerge. Military groups supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin throw accusations.
The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenaries accused Moscow’s military chief of refusing to supply the group with ammunition and of trying to destroy it. According to him, this is tantamount to betrayal.
Yevgeny Prigozhin’s private combat squad, which has been recruited from prisons across Russia to reinforce its ranks, played a key role in the assault on the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
The battle for Bakhmut has exposed tensions between Wagner’s group and the Russian army, although the Kremlin denies a rift exists.
“The chief of the general staff and the minister of defense gave orders left and right not only not to give ammunition to the PMC [tentara swasta] Wagner, but also not to help air transport,” Prigozhin said in a voice message shared by his press service, quoted from ReutersWednesday (22/2/2023).
“There was only direct opposition going on, which was nothing but an attempt to destroy Wagner. This amounted to high treason,” he added.
Prigozhin has criticized Russia’s regular army in Ukraine and recently lambasted Moscow’s “terrible bureaucracy” for slowing military gains.
Not only that, Prigozhin also accused the military high command of even forbidding the delivery of “shovels that would allow them to dig trenches” to Wagner fighters.
He also accused the Russian military of trying to “steal” the victory from Wagner.
Taking Bakhmut would be a major victory for Moscow in its nearly year-long assault on Ukraine, although analysts say its capture will be symbolic as the city is of little strategic value.
Russia’s defense ministry responded by detailing the ammunition supplied to “voluntary strike squadrons”, the name the military appears to use for Wagner’s men.
“All requests for ammunition for strike units were fulfilled as soon as possible,” he stressed, promising new deliveries on Saturday and dismissing reports of ammunition shortages as “absolutely false”.
The ministry once again commended the “courage” of the Russian “volunteers” in battle and denounced “attempts to divide”, which are “counterproductive and only benefit the enemy”.
(luc/luc)
