In early October, the newspaper reported that one of Putin’s closest circle had directly reported to the Russian leader about the mistakes and failures in the war against Ukraine. Now “Washington Post” indicates that this person was Prigozhin.
Prigozhin, known as Putin’s cook, complained to the Kremlin owner that the Russian defense ministry is too reliant on “Wagner” but does not provide the necessary financial support for combat missions, according to an intelligence report. US quoted by the newspaper.
Prigozhin had previously publicly criticized the leadership of the Russian military.
However, US officials point out that Prigozhin felt comfortable enough to berate the Russian military leadership in private.
This is proof that in the background of Russia’s losses in Ukraine, Prigozhin’s influence is growing, the newspaper explains.
“The political position he is taking is this: I am Yevgeny Prigozhin. I am here to tell you the truth and I will do my job,” said the American official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The US intelligence service believes that Prigozhin’s recent social media posting, in which “Wagner” warriors complain about the lack of food, is linked to a desire to pressure the Kremlin to increase funding.
