Wagner Group Leader "Lost Contact with the Kremlin Palace"

Prigozhin "Blocked from Contact Channels"
Some View Criticism of Russian Government as Coordinated with the Kremlin Palace

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private mercenary group 'Wagner Group' participating in the Russia-Ukraine war, has revealed that he is in conflict with the Russian government and, as a result, has been cut off from communication channels.

According to a report by the American news weekly Newsweek on the 9th (local time), Prigozhin claimed in a post on his Telegram channel that "the Kremlin excluded me from communication channels because I publicly demanded more ammunition for the Wagner unit." He added, "To prevent me from requesting ammunition, they cut off the (government's) special phone line and blocked my access passes to institutions responsible for decision-making," and said, "Now I can only request (supplies) through the media, and I will probably do so."

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Photo by TASS Yonhap News Agency archive photo

Earlier, on the 6th, Prigozhin publicly pressured the Russian government, stating that his unit was not receiving ammunition and might have to withdraw from Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine because of this. In a social media video, he said, "If the Wagner Group retreats from Bakhmut now, the entire front will collapse," adding, "Such a situation would not be good for any military forces protecting Russia's national interests."

In another video, Prigozhin stirred controversy by stating, "The promised ammunition has not been delivered," and "We are currently trying to determine whether this is simply bureaucracy or betrayal." He also added, "If we retreat, we will be forever recorded in history as those who took a crucial step toward defeat." Following these remarks, Prigozhin revealed that he was denied access to the Russian military command headquarters in Ukraine.

The Wagner Group has been leading the battle to capture Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine but has recently been in severe conflict with the Russian military establishment. Prigozhin claims that the Russian Ministry of Defense refuses to supply materials to the Wagner Group due to animosity toward him, but the Ministry of Defense denies these allegations as completely untrue.

Called 'Putin's Chef'... Relationship with Putin Deteriorated Since January

Prigozhin, a former food service entrepreneur, was once close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, supplying food and beverages for various government-hosted events and banquets, earning him the nickname 'Putin's Chef.' However, the U.S. think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that their relationship has deteriorated since January, when he repeatedly criticized the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Earlier this year, when the Russian army captured the mining city of Soledar in the Donetsk region, President Putin credited the Ministry of Defense for the victory but did not mention the Wagner Group at all. It is reported that Prigozhin felt slighted, believing the Kremlin did not properly acknowledge Wagner's combat achievements.

However, some speculate that Prigozhin's ongoing 'government criticism gestures' might be coordinated with the Kremlin. Jason Jay Smart, a correspondent for the Ukrainian media outlet Kyiv Post, analyzed, "Prigozhin would not be able to attack the government like this without official approval," and suggested, "It appears that President Putin is using Prigozhin to hold Minister Shoigu responsible for the setbacks in the war."

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