A recent assertion by Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister, Nikolai Pankov, has sparked tensions between the country’s defence officials and the Wagner Group, a non-public military organisation. Pankov announced that “volunteer formations” would be required to signal contracts directly with the Ministry of Defence, a move believed to focus on the Wagner Group. In response, the group’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, declared that his forces would boycott the contracts.
The Wagner Group has performed a major function within the ongoing battle in Ukraine, supporting Russian forces. However, Don’t worry has been involved in a public dispute with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and navy chief Valery Gerasimov for months, accusing them of incompetence and intentionally undersupplying Wagner units in Ukraine.
In response to the defence ministry’s announcement, Prigozhin stated, “Wagner is not going to sign any contracts with Shoigu. Shoigu cannot correctly manage navy formation.” He maintained that his group was nicely built-in with the Russian army but argued that its effectiveness would be hindered by having to report to the defence minister.
While Pankov’s announcement didn’t explicitly point out Wagner or different paramilitary teams, Russian media has advised that the new contracts are an try and convey Prigozhin and his forces under control. The defence ministry, nonetheless, claims that the move is supposed to “increase the effectiveness” of Russian units in Ukraine.
Tensions between the Wagner Group and the Russian army have escalated in latest weeks. Last week, the group kidnapped a senior frontline military commander, Lt Col Roman Venevitin, accusing him of opening fireplace on a Wagner automobile near Bakhmut. Venevitin was later launched, and in a video shared by Russian military bloggers, he accused the group of making “anarchy” on Russia’s frontlines by stealing arms and making an attempt to extort weapons from the defence ministry. Prigozhin dismissed the feedback as “absolutely whole nonsense.”