The founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has accused the country’s top military leaders of “high treason,” saying they have refused to provide him with munitions in an attempt to wipe out his fighting force.
The conflict between Russia’s military leadership and one of Vladimir Putin’s most notorious associates, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has reignited as the private military company has struggled to gain ground near Bakhmut, one of the bloodiest sites of the year-old war in Ukraine.
Prigozhin has previously feuded with Russia’s top brass over military tactics and the right to recruit convicts from Russian prisons for the war in Ukraine. But his new attack on military leaders such as the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, marks an unusual level of infighting in Russia, where the Kremlin has sought to tamp down infighting among elites despite its lack of military success.
On Wednesday, Prigozhin’s press service published a photo showing what he claimed were dozens of Wagner servicemen who had died because of “shell hunger”. The photograph showed about 20 men in camouflage lying prone in the snow. It could not immediately be confirmed if the men had died or if the shot was staged.
“This is just one of the collection points for the dead,” said Prigozhin, according to his press service. “These are guys who have died because of so-called ‘shell hunger.’ There should be five times fewer of them. Five times.”
“Who is to blame for the fact that they died?” continued Prigozhin. “Those who should have decided to supply us with enough ammunition are to blame. The final signature must be put either by [the chief of the general staff, Valery] Gerasimov or Shoigu. Neither of them wants to make a decision.”
Military experts have said that Russia appears to be rationing its shells after a year of heavy fighting with Ukraine. Wagner, which has a mixed reputation as a fighting force and is seen as tainted by its association with Prigozhin, may have a more difficult time attaining stocks than regular units.
Prigozhin also released spreadsheet that he claimed showed that his units were receiving fewer shells than before. “There is just direct opposition going on, which is nothing less than an attempt to destroy Wagner. This can be equated to high treason,” he said.
Prigozhin was conspicuously absent from a major speech Putin gave on Tuesday, and it appears that the ambitious catering magnate may have fallen out of favour. Earlier this year, he announced that he would suspend recruiting in Russian prisons, apparently due to pressure from the Russian defence ministry.
The infighting comes as the Kremlin is trying to spread a message of unity and stability despite growing international isolation due to the war.
At Luzhniki stadium on Wednesday, Vladimir Putin headlined a patriotic concert meant to mark the first anniversary of the “special military operation”.
As with other patriotic rallies, there were reports circling in the days before that many Russians had either been required to attend by their workplaces or otherwise paid to come as part of a massovka, or hired crowd.
In a speech to nearly 200,000 Russians, Putin called for unity in the fight against the west and appeared on stage alongside pilots, infantrymen, artillerists, paratroopers, tankers, and sailors.
“We are gathered here for a festive event,” Putin said, “but I know, I have just been listening to the country’s top military leadership, that right now there is a battle on our historical borders, for our people.”
“It’s being waged by courageous warriors just like the ones standing here with us, they’re fighting heroically, courageously, and bravely,” he continued. “We are proud of them.”
The feud between Prigozhin and the military chiefs also made an appearance at the concert, after users on livestreams of the event began to share hashtags calling for Russia to “give Wagner shells”.
The Kremlin so far has declined to get involved. “This is a topic associated with the special military operation, so I leave it to the defense ministry and recommend that you ask them,” said Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, on Wednesday.
In a state of the nation speech delivered on Tuesday, Putin gave remarks that appeared to address the infighting. “We must get rid of … any interdepartmental contradictions, formalities, grudges, misunderstandings, and other nonsense,” he said.
Russia’s defence ministry has denied limiting ammunition shipments to volunteers at the front, but made no mention of the Wagner group private army or of Prigozhin’s accusations.
“All requests for ammunition for assault units are met as soon as possible,” it insisted, promising new deliveries on Saturday and denouncing as “absolutely false” reports of shortages.
“Attempts to create a split within the close mechanism of interaction and support between units of the Russian [fighting] groups are counterproductive and work solely to the benefit of the enemy,” the statement read.
