Russian troops are deserting in Bakhmut, Wagner chief complains
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Russian soldiers are deserting their positions in Bakhmut, the head of the Wagner mercenary group has claimed as he told the Kremlin that Moscow was incapable of defending its country.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose influence has risen hugely in Moscow's Ukraine offensive, has in recent days released a series of scathing videos attacking Russia's military leadership.
"Today one of the units of the defence ministry fled from one of our flanks... exposing the front," Prigozhin said in a video. He has threatened to pull his fighters out of Bakhmut on May 10 if he did not receive badly needed ammunition.
The mercenary group has spearheaded Moscow's fight for the east Ukrainian city.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has been increasingly unhinged with his criticism of Russia’s military leadership, on Tuesday blasted Russian generals for fighting a war “on television” and leaving his fighters hanging with no ammunition.
Mr Prigozhin’s press office put out his video statement just as President Putin wrapped up the annual Victory Parade on Red Square and claimed that Russian troops were successful in “carrying out their tasks” in Ukraine.
Mr Prigozhin last week offered the Kremlin a de-facto ultimatum, threatening to pull out thousands of his troops fighting outside Bakhmut by Wednesday unless the Russian defence ministry increases their supplies.
He quoted the most recent order from the General Staff, showing abnormally low levels of ammunition to be earmarked, and claimed the military were letting Mr Putin down.
“We won’t be able to fight if it carries on like this,” he said. “If the tasks are being carried out in such a way as to deceive the commander-in-chief [Putin] - then either he will rip up your arse or the Russian people will, who will be angry that the war is lost.”
Military analysts have said the Russian defence ministry could be rationing ammunition not only to sideline Prigozhin, who has been at loggerheads with them for months, but also to save up supplies ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive.
The Russian defence ministry never publicly responded to Mr Prigozhin’s accusation but his ultimatum last week triggered an official statement, pledging steady supplies of ammunition all along the front line.
Mr Prigozhin on Tuesday reiterated his deadline for leaving the town unless they get all the ammunition they requested.
