Russian President Vladimir Putin might face "military mutiny" from the Wagner Group, former Russian commander Igor Girkin warned. The private military unit's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin had earlier threatened to withdraw his troops from Bakhmut and has also publicly criticized the Russian defense ministry, Newsweek reported.
Calling for the withdrawal of units from “the front without the consent of the high command is a military rebellion and nothing else”, Igor Girkin said, adding that Yevgeny Prigozhin "openly" blackmailed Russia's military leadership as he is aware that withdrawing his troops could lead to "catastrophic consequences" for Russia.
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Earlier Reuters reported that Yevgeny Prigozhin admitted that his forces are suffering heavy casualties because Vladimir Putin is not supporting his group. He previously “spoke extremely badly of both the Russian command and the Russian army as a whole, [saying] ‘we must forget the word “Airborne Forces are doing something in Bakhmut’”, Igor Girkin said.
"Since his political ambitions (multiplied by psychopathy, the organization's demonstrative war crimes, a tendency to shamelessly and in many respects falsely self-promote and spread rotten 'criminal concepts' to the armed forces)—only harm both Wagner and the common cause of victory over 'Ukraine,'" Igor Girkin added.
{{/usCountry}}"Since his political ambitions (multiplied by psychopathy, the organization's demonstrative war crimes, a tendency to shamelessly and in many respects falsely self-promote and spread rotten 'criminal concepts' to the armed forces)—only harm both Wagner and the common cause of victory over 'Ukraine,'" Igor Girkin added.
{{/usCountry}}This comes as a Ukrainian military spokesman said that Kyiv remains in control of a key supply route into Bakhmut, but the situation remains "really difficult".
"For several weeks, the Russians have been talking about seizing the 'road of life,' as well as about constant fire control over it," Serhiy Cherevatyi said as per news agency Reuters.
“Yes, it is really difficult there, because their attempts to seize the road continue, as well as attempts to establish fire control. But ... the defence forces have not allowed the Russians to 'cut off' our logistics”, the spokesman added.