The Wagner Group, a Russian private mercenary company that has been directly attacking the Russian military leadership over ammunition supply issues, is attracting attention by criticizing it as if it were directly targeting President Vladimir Putin.
The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 10th (local time) that Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, made remarks that could be interpreted as directly criticizing President Putin in a video released the day before.
In the video, Prigozin criticizes the military leadership for not supplying necessary military supplies, such as ammunition, “Happy Grandpa thinks everything is going well. “God bless him if he’s right,” he said. “But how are we going to win this war if it turns out that this old man is a dickhead?”
Here, the NYT pointed out that ‘grandfather’ is a word that Putin’s opponents usually use to refer to him.
If it refers to President Putin, it is the first time he has directly criticized it. The video was released after the military parade on the 78th anniversary of Russia’s victory in World War II. President Putin personally observed the parade and gave a speech.
Prigozhin made some mockery of Victory Day, claiming that the Russians abandoned their positions “because of the stupidity of their commanders.”
Meduza, an independent Russian media outlet, cited sources saying the Kremlin was losing more and more patience with Prigozhin.
Prigogine explained on the 10th that the ‘grandfather’ was a high-ranking military official.
In a statement sent to Russian broadcaster RTVI, he mentioned three people, including former Deputy Minister of Defense Mikhail Mizintsev and chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), who were called “the butchers of Mariupol,” and pro-government activist Natalia Khim.
However, Meduza pointed out that the 34-year-old woman did not explain why she used the word grandfather.
Prigogin is a representative pro-Putin figure who became President Putin’s exclusive chef after making a fortune in the catering business. He is sometimes referred to as ‘Putin’s Chef’. Through the Wagner Group, which he established in 2014, he has served as a vanguard for Russian forces in Africa and elsewhere. In the Russo-Wu War, he led the frontline battles and raised his record.
It was in February of this year that he exposed his conflict with the military leadership in earnest. He openly accused the Ministry of Defense of not supplying ammunition while his mercenaries were fighting to the death in Bahmut. He even directly pointed out Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov.
On the 5th, Prigozhin threatened to withdraw if ammunition was not provided, but withdrew the plan on the 7th, saying that he had been promised support.
However, on the 9th, they claimed that they had not received ammunition again, accusing them of “they shamelessly deceived us.” “(If you withdraw), a battle order has been given that it will be regarded as treason against the motherland,” he said. (The traitor) will obviously be the one who signed (the order to stop ammunition).”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.