The head of Russia’s paramilitary group Wagner on Thursday believed Bakhmut, the center of fighting in eastern Ukraine, could hold out “until March or April” and criticized the “military bureaucracy” he says is holding back the current offensive.
His comments come as Moscow looks to symbolic victory a few days before the first anniversary of its February 24, 2022 offensive, and Russia has intensified its attack in the east in recent weeks.
“I think it will be in March or April. To take Bakhmut it is necessary to cut all supply lines”said Evgueni Prigojine, founder of the Wagner group, in a video released by the organization.
“I think we could have taken Bakhmut already if it hadn’t been for this monstrous military bureaucracy and if we hadn’t put chopsticks in gear every day.”pointed out Prigojine in another video, again assuming his disagreements with the military hierarchy.
On February 9, Prigojine felt that the Wagner group’s inability to recruit more prisoners in exchange for amnesty was a “bleeding” for her organization. “At some point the number of units will decrease and with it the number of tasks we want to perform”warned.
This paramilitary organization has been at the forefront of the Russian offensive against Bakhmut since the summer, at the cost of significant losses. The group recruited large numbers of prisoners to fight in Ukraine.
Prigojine announced the end of this recruitment on 9 February, and as fighting around Bakhmut redoubled in intensity for several weeks, despite limited progress. At the same time, Russia continues its campaign to bomb the neighboring country’s infrastructure, with a new wave of missiles and “drones” on Wednesday night.
The intensifying fighting in the east comes as the conflict enters its second year and Russia is suspected of launching another large-scale attack.
“We have to be prepared for the long term, this could take many years”NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned this Thursday in an interview with AFP. “We are here to make sure Ukraine wins this war”promised.
In turn, the head of Israeli diplomacy, Eli Cohen, this Thursday made his first visit to Ukraine by a minister of the Jewish state since the start of the conflict. “Israel stands in firm solidarity with the Ukrainians and remains committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”stated during a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kouleba.
Subsequently, the Israeli embassy in Kiev was officially reopened and Israel has so far taken a neutral position in the conflict, namely because of Moscow’s actions in the Middle East.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Source: DN
