Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, warned that the Russian defense ministry’s lies will lead to a “global tragedy” for Russia amid its ongoing war with Ukraine that began last February.
Prigozhin criticized the defense ministry in a video posted with English subtitles to Twitter on Friday by BBC Monitoring journalist Francis Scarr. The remarks by the Wagner Group leader, who is a top ally for Russian President Vladimir Putin, come in reference to a statement that Russian defense ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov made on Friday about the situation in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
On Telegram, Konashenkov wrote that some Russian troops had regrouped to head to more advantageous positions, but the Wagner Group founder denied that claim.
“In order to increase the stability of defense, units of the ‘Southern’ group of Russian troops occupied the line in the Maloilyinovka direction,” Konashenkov wrote, noting that the unit took into account “the favorable conditions of the Berkhivka reservoir.” However, Prigozhin contradicted the ministry’s claim, saying that Russian troops were fleeing Bakhmut, not regrouping.
In his latest verbal attack, Prigozhin tells the Russian Defence Ministry to “stop lying immediately” and says its actions will lead to a “global tragedy for Russia” pic.twitter.com/lbi6NJISYQ
— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) May 12, 2023
The Wagner Group, a private paramilitary unit, has been involved in the months-long battle in Bakhmut against Ukrainian troops as well as other operations across the Eastern European country.
In the clip posted on Friday, Prigozhin suggested that Russia is close to taking control of Bakhmut, claiming that only around 20 multi-story buildings are left. However, he added that controlling the city “gives the Russian Federation nothing because the flanks are crumbling and the front is failing.”
“And the Defense Ministry’s attempts to smooth over the situation somehow in the media space are leading– and will lead– to a global tragedy for Russia. So stop lying immediately.” he warned. “If you’ve [Russian defense ministry] run away, set up new lines of defense! But what you’ve trained for that defense is not capable of holding that defense. They are simply nobodies. And so what has been happening recently and what I’ve been warning about for a long time, is coming to pass. And it’s leading to a great tragedy for our country.”
Photo by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
His comments come shortly after he criticized the Russian defense ministry and threatened to withdraw his fighters from Bakhmut because of a lack of ammunition and support from the ministry.
Earlier this month, Prigozhin said that his fighters would leave Bakhmut on May 10 due to a shortage of ammunition. In a message posted on the press service of Prigozhin’s company Concord, Prigozhin addressed Putin, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
However, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing two senior U.S. officials, that Wagner Group forces are still holding most of the territory in Bakhmut and has stockpiles of ammunition.
Newsweek reached out by email to the Russian defense ministry for comment.