Global Courant 2023-05-15 05:55:41
Yulia Morozova/Reuters
Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin repeatedly offered to disclose the positions of Russian troops to Ukrainian federal intelligence, according to leaked documents obtained by The Washington Post.
The leaks, originally published on Discord, reportedly point to that the Wagner boss made the offer at the end of January. In return, Prigozhin asked that Ukraine withdraws its troops from the eastern city of Bakhmutthe report said.
The documents do not specify which Russian army positions were on the table in Prigozhin’s proposal, and Ukrainian officials reportedly decided not to take the mercenary boss up his offer, citing a lack of confidence that he would fulfill his part of the bargain.
Two Ukrainian officials confirmed correspondence between Prigozhin and the intelligence agency to the publication. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly declined to comment on the matter in an interview with WaPo.
The news of Prigozhin’s proposal comes after a slew of heated public clashes between the shadow army boss and the Russian Defense Ministry over Moscow’s strategy in Ukraine.
Wagner Boss leaves the great battlefield after gruesome video
Last week, Prigozhin released a blasphemous video referring to “the complete asshole” who ran Russia’s war effort, sparking speculation whether he was referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.
Days before, the Wagner boss announced he would withdraw his mercenaries from Bakhmut after repeatedly mocking Moscow for not providing enough ammunition and other resources to reinforce his troops. The video contained graphic images of dead Russian fighters piled up in a field.
The feud has escalated to the point that some in the Kremlin expect Moscow’s security services to intervene. meduza.
“As long as Wagner is there (on the front line), there is little danger to Prigozhin, he has a chance to enter into a direct dialogue with the president. But if it continues like this, the official security forces will definitely stop it,” a source close to the Kremlin told the outlet.
Story continues
According to the Washington Post report, Putin’s government likely suspects the Wagner boss is communicating with Ukrainian intelligence.
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