Mercenaries from the infamous Russian private army ‘Wagner’ are said to have returned to the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. This was announced by a Ukrainian military officer who took part in the counter-offensive of the Ukrainian armed forces against the American television channel CNN.
“Yes, ‘Wagner’ is there too. They have returned. “They quickly changed commanders and are now back,” said a soldier nicknamed “Groove.” He suspects that the rise of the private army in this area could be due to a shortage of personnel in the Russian military. Russia has transferred troops from surrounding areas to this region. They don’t have many men here anymore, ‘Groove’ added.
Russian Telegram channels had previously reported on the return of Wagner mercenaries. On September 23, the ‘Gray Zone’, which would be close to the ‘Wagner’ group, announced that the mercenaries would ‘now march towards Bakhmut’. It was emphasized that these were just mercenaries who had refused to participate in the “March of Justice” of former mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
They distanced themselves from mutiny
On Tuesday, the Telegram channel “Rybar”, which is close to the Russian Ministry of Defense, made public that sub-units of the private army “Wagner” were back in Bakhmut. This is related to the Russian counter-offensive, which is intended to regain previously lost positions. “Rybar” also confirmed that they were mercenaries who “split from the Wagner force after the mutiny.”
Wagner mercenaries from Belarus
The independent Russian media outlet “Agentstwo” noted that Groove’s statement was the first confirmation from the Ukrainian side of the information about an alleged return of the Wagner mercenaries to Bakhmut. Army Group East spokesperson Ilya Yevlash later confirmed this to Ukrainian news agency RBC. They are mercenaries who were previously in Belarus. Now their camps there would be disbanded. Some of them went to Africa, others signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Conquest of Bakmut
In May this year, the founder of Wagner’s private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced the capture of Bakhmut. Fighting for the city has been going on since the summer of 2022. The businessman repeatedly emphasized that the city had been taken over by Wagner mercenaries. This happened against the backdrop of the long-standing conflict between Prigozhin and the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Prigozhin’s ‘March of Justice’
On June 23, Prigozhin accused the Russian Ministry of Defense of attacking the “Wagner” mercenary camp. He then announced a ‘March of Justice’. The mutiny ended the next day with the condition that Prigozhin ‘go to Belarus’. Mercenaries who distanced themselves from Prigozhin were offered contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. Exactly two months later, on August 23, Prigozhin’s private jet crashed over Russia’s Tver region. Ten people were killed, including the Wagner boss and his deputy, Dmitri Utkin.
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.
