Up to 50,000 mercenaries from the Wagner group are said to be fighting for Russia in Ukraine, according to a recent British intelligence report. According to the British, they have now taken on a “key role” in the Russian invasion.
In December 2022, Russia virtually legalized the activities of the Wagner Group by recognizing it as an official unit of the force. Prior to this, private military formations had been illegal in Russia – although, of course, the services of Wagner mercenaries had been used on several occasions.
“Key role in the war in Ukraine”
Officially, the Wagner mercenaries were hired as “advisors” at the time, and their deployment in battle was never mentioned, according to the British. The head of the Russian mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, built his organization with targeted political ties to his other companies.
With about 50,000 mercenaries in Ukraine, the Wagner group has now played a key role in the conflict, the report continues. Russia has not yet officially confirmed the use of mercenaries, but Prigozhin himself spoke only recently, denying that the embattled city of Bakhmut was about to be taken by Ukrainian forces. On the contrary, the Wagner group continues to control the city.
Tensions between Wagner boss and Kremlin
Recently, tensions arose between Prigozhin and the Kremlin after the mercenary accused associates close to President Vladimir Putin in the presidential government of treason. At the same time, he criticized the Russian government for not blocking the US platform YouTube. “YouTube is the information plague of our time,” explains the entrepreneur on the short message service Telegram.
The statement was an allusion to a video published by Wagner, which is supposed to show the murder of a renegade mercenary from his own ranks. The Wagner fighter first voluntarily went into Ukrainian captivity, but then returned to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange and was killed with a sledgehammer, according to the video. The clip sparked international outrage. Prigozhin is wanted in the US with a reward for his arrest for allegedly interfering in the US presidential election.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
