Bloomberg reported on Prigozhin’s plans to curtail the operations of Wagner PMC in Ukraine

Agency Bloomberg citing sources close to the Kremlin and intelligence agencies, said that businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin plans to curtail the operations of his private military company Wagner in Ukraine in favor of Africa due to a shortage of ammunition and people.

Yevgeny Prigozhin did not confirm Bloomberg’s information. “I don’t know what Bloomberg is reporting, but apparently they know better than I do what we’re going to do next. As long as our country needs us, we are fighting on the territory of Ukraine, ”the businessman replied (the words of Yevgeny Prigozhin are quoted by him press office).

Bloomberg reports that Russia’s security forces and political leadership view Mr. Prigozhin as a “growing threat.” According to Bloomberg, PMC Wagner faced a shortage of people after Yevgeny Prigozhin was banned from recruiting prisoners. In February, Evgeny Prigozhin complained to limit the supply of ammunition, but later saidthat the problem is solved.

Bloomberg sources report that the Russian high command “sowed doubts” in President Vladimir Putin about the “vaunted military power” of the Wagner PMC. This is mainly due to the fact that Bakhmut, despite “months of attempts and staggering losses,” was never taken by the fighters of a private company.

Sources close to the Kremlin said that, according to the Russian command, the current results of the Wagner PMC are largely due to the prisoners sent to the war zone.

Bloomberg points to the published announcement of the admission of mercenaries to the Wagner PMC. The announcement, according to the agency, refers to recruitment for six months in Ukraine and for 9-14 months in Africa. At the same time, those wishing to serve in Africa will be sent to the reserve, the agency notes. Where the announcement was posted is not specified.

Battles for Bakhmut have been going on since the summer of 2022. The fact that PMC “Wagner” is recruiting prisoners to participate in a special military operation in Ukraine became known in the autumn of the same year. Prisoners who completed a six-month contract receive pardon. How explained in the HRC, the prisoners are released by a secret decree of Vladimir Putin. According to the White House, about 40 thousand people in the ranks of the Wagner PMC are prisoners.

In February 2023 Evgeny Prigozhin declared about the completion of the recruitment of prisoners. Later in one of interview he said that the Wagner PMC “did not refuse the prisoners”, but, according to the decision, the prisoners would go “somewhere in the military units.” “This is already beyond my competence,” he said then, refusing to give details.

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Lusine Balasyan