Ru Wagner Group's Prigozhin: "War May Take 2 More Years"

Interview with Military Blogger... Insights on Prolonged Conflict
"Bakhmut Control Not Easy" Admission Included

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military company Wagner Group, expressed the opinion that the Russia-Ukraine war could continue for more than two years.

According to foreign media including the British daily The Guardian on the 11th (local time), Prigozhin said in an interview with a Russian military blogger that it could take up to two more years for Russia to occupy the entire eastern part of Ukraine.

He is a figure who rose to power through the Ukraine war and owns a catering company that supplies food for various events organized by the Russian government, earning him the nickname "Putin's chef."

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

Prigozhin said, "Russia has now shifted the focus of the war to fully controlling the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine," adding, "It could take about one and a half to two more years to achieve this." He also expressed the opinion that "if Russia aims to occupy the entire area along the Dnipro River, it would take about three years."

The Guardian evaluated Prigozhin's remarks as unusual and analyzed that it suggests some Russian figures are preparing for a long-term conflict.

The 1st Anniversary of the Ukraine War on the 24th of This Month

The 24th of this month marks the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian officials are preparing for a large-scale Russian offensive before this date. However, since the Russian military suffered a major defeat last year when attempting a surprise attack on Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, it is predicted that they will not attack Kyiv or the northern region again.

Based on Prigozhin's interview, The Guardian considered a scenario in which Russian forces in the north and south of Ukraine advance eastward to encircle Ukrainian troops defending the eastern Donbas. To this end, Russian tank units could push toward the northeastern cities of Sumy and Poltava while also advancing from the southern region of Zaporizhzhia.

In the interview, Prigozhin also admitted that capturing Bakhmut is not easy. He said, "It is too early to say we are almost there," adding, "Ukrainian soldiers are well trained. Like other major cities, it is impossible to break through Bakhmut head-on." Fierce clashes between Wagner Group mercenaries and Ukrainian forces have been ongoing in Bakhmut, a key stronghold for the occupation of Donbas, since May last year, resulting in thousands of casualties.

Founded in 2014... Officially Acknowledged Only in September Last Year

The Wagner Group was established in 2014 when Russia forcibly annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Prigozhin had continuously denied this fact but finally officially acknowledged the group's founding in September last year.

The Wagner Group has been deeply involved in the Ukraine war from the early stages, including infiltrating mercenaries into Kyiv to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Western officials estimate that 50,000 Wagner mercenaries have been deployed in the Ukraine war, of which about 40,000 are prisoners recruited from Russian prisons.

The Wagner Group operates in about 30 countries including the Middle East, South America, and Africa, engaging in resource interference and regime change. Last month, the White House designated the group as a significant transnational criminal organization and announced plans to impose additional sanctions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.