FILE PHOTO: Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia鈥檚 Wagner mercenary force, speaks in Paraskoviivka, Ukraine in this still image from an undated video released on March 3, 2023. Concord Press Service/via REUTERS
The founder of Russia鈥檚 Wagner mercenary force said his troops now tightening their grip on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut were being deprived of ammunition and if they were forced to retreat the entire front would collapse.
鈥淚f Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse,鈥� Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video published over the weekend. 鈥淭he situation will not be sweet for all military formations protecting Russian interests.鈥�
Reuters could not independently verify when and where the video was recorded. The footage was published on a Telegram channel that has been disseminating Prigozhin news and has associated itself with the Wagner Group. The video was not published on Prigozhin鈥檚 usual press service channel.
Prigozhin on Friday said that his units had 鈥減ractically surrounded Bakhmut,鈥� where fighting has intensified in the past week with Russian forces attacking from nearly all sides.
But on Sunday he complained that most of the ammunition that his forces were promised by Moscow in February had not yet been shipped.
鈥淔or now, we are trying to figure out the reason: is it just ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal,鈥� Prigozhin said on his usual press service Telegram channel.
The mercenary chief regularly criticizes Russia鈥檚 defense chiefs and top generals. Last month, he accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and others of 鈥渢reason鈥� for withholding supplies of munitions to his militia.
In a nearly four-minute video published on the Wagner Orchestra Telegram channel on Saturday, Prigozhin said his troops were worried that Moscow wanted to set them up as possible scapegoats if Russia lost the war.
鈥淚f we retreat, then we will go down in history forever as people who have taken the main step towards losing the war,鈥� Prigozhin said.
鈥淭his is exactly the problem with ammunition hunger.鈥�
Speaking seemingly from a bunker, Prigozhin said in the video that his troops would wonder whether they were being 鈥渟et up鈥� for defeat by the country鈥檚 top brass or maybe even by someone 鈥渉igher鈥�.