The founder of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin is preparing to curtail the military operations of his mercenaries in Ukraine and turn his attention to Africa.
Source: Bloomberg with reference to interlocutors familiar with the situation
Literally: “Prigozhin, seen by the (Russian) security and political establishment as a growing threat, is struggling with a shortage of manpower and ammunition in Ukraine after he was banned from recruiting people in prisons, his main source of recruits, and deprived of supplies.”
Details: The publication recalls that Prigozhin’s mercenaries have still not been able to take the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, despite months of attempts and stunning losses.
After weeks of public complaints that the Wagnerians were not being supplied with vital shells and other supplies, Prigozhin acknowledged that the Wagner would have to “reboot and downsize” after the battle for Bakhmut was over.
Sources familiar with the situation say operations in Africa are likely to attract Prigozhin’s attention in the future as the situation in Ukraine has become more difficult for his forces.
The publication draws attention to the fact that there have already been announcements about the recruitment of mercenaries in the Wagner PMC for 6 months in Ukraine and for 9-14 months in Africa. At the same time, it is specified that those who wish to serve in African countries will be enlisted in the reserve.
What came before:
- According to the White House, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, the private military company Wagner has lost more than 30,000 mercenaries wounded and killed.
- On March 23, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky said that the Russian invaders were losing significant forces in the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, the enemy was running out of steam and the Armed Forces of Ukraine would soon take advantage of this
